The Windswept Chronicles: Part 1
by 3luv4eva3
Summary: They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!
1. Chpt 1: Darkness Rising Part 1

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

Am I seriously doing this? Am I really?

Well, hey there guys. 3luv4eva3 here. Most of you readers may remember me as the writer of the following stories: The Hidden Stalker, Lost & Found, Awakened Drama and Nitrostorm. You'll also remember that I ended up bailing on those last three stories too due to what I would call a serious case of writer's block and losing the urge to write for those three stories. And some of you other readers may know me from writing a bit of Legends of Tomorrow throughout late last year and start of this year. You would've also notice that I eventually gave up on writing for quite some time.

I'm not going to get carried away with a story of my life. Rather, I want to do a test run. I want to post this chapter as a first of what could hopefully be a re-telling of the Transformers: Prime series through the positions of new characters, some OC and maybe one or two that I have brought in from elsewhere. I want to see if people would be interested in me rewriting the series my way, and if I get a good enough response, that sentence may just become a reality.

I have one main OC, which a few of you probably already know who that is going to be. She will tell most of the story from her optics, but in some cases, there will be scenes where it will simply be ' **NO ONE'S P.O.V** '. I have always wanted to do a rewrite of this series, but I have never been able to write successfully in no one's point-of-view. So while some scenes will be through the eyes of one specific character, most of the other scenes will not.

So here it is – Chapter One of Breakthrough.

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept and a few other OC's that are featured in this chapter belong to me. (You'll just have to read on to see who the other OC's are)

(PS. The first bit is in Windswept's P.O.V)

* * *

Driving down this highway was like driving down the story of my life. I would look back at my life and try to figure out how I ended up right here on planet Earth ever time I was on patrol. I always narrowed it down to fate casting me free from the Decepticons, pretty much forcing me to beg to stay at the Iacon Hall of Records where I met my best friends and became part of the Autobots... What was the last one? Oh yeah, then fate shipped me away as one of the early Autobots to depart Cybertron under Alpha Trion's watchful optic. I carried to Earth a lot of secrets, secrets that could make it or break it for me.

I seemed to have forgotten to introduce myself. Well, my name is Windswept. In human terms, I'd be coming close to at least twenty years old, possibly older. I lost count of my Cybertronian age after finally coming to terms with the war on Cybertron. I am a mostly red Cybertronian with light blue highlights here and there. My history is something I don't like talking about so don't even ask. Was there anything else to add? Oh yeah, probably. Just not right now.

One of my teammates is telling me a good story.

" _ **So there I am on the lookout when out of nowhere, these height beams light up my**_ _ **rear-view.**_ _ **And then it hits me. I'm illegally parked!**_ " Cliffjumper recalled.

" _ **Another parking ticket?**_ " Arcee guessed with a sigh.

The three of us were sharing a private commlink only for the three of us. Since we all were quite close with one another than we were with the rest of the team, we always used this link to speak to one another rather than speaking over the main line everyone else used when something was urgent.

" _ **Better. The Boot.**_ "

I laughed, "That big ol' metal tyre clamp that's a nightmare to remove?!"

" _ **Bingo! So the local polies do their thing. I let them get all the way down the block. That's when I kicked off my new shiny shoe and BAM!**_ " Cliffjumper explained excitedly.

" _ **New York's finest soil themselves?**_ "

" _ **You know me, Arcee. You mess with Cliffjumper-**_ "

" _ **And you get the horns,**_ " Arcee and I finished at the same time as Cliffjumper chuckled.

" _ **Not sure how that complies with Autobot rule number one: keep a low profile,**_ " Arcee reminded Cliff sternly as if she was warning him.

Really, Arcee? You really think he's gonna pay any attention to that?

" _ **What can I say? Patrolling for Energon out here in Dullsville**_ _ **gets**_ _ **lonesome. Almost makes me miss the Decepticons.**_ "

" _ **Like Jasper, Nevada's a party? We're alone wherever we travel on this rock, Cliff.**_ "

Over the comm, I could hear Cliffjumper go quiet for a moment, and for him, that's something he rarely does.

" _ **I'm getting a signal,**_ " He suddenly announced.

" _ **Need backup?**_ "

" _ **Do I ever need backup?**_ "

"Just be careful, Cliff," I warned him.

" _ **Me? Careful? You do know who I am right?**_ " Cliffjumper asked sarcastically before switching off the commlink.

I sighed. Cliffjumper, Cliffjumper, Cliffjumper. What would Arcee and I ever do without you?

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Cliffjumper sped off as quickly as he could to get to the location the signal was telling him to go to. He eventually came up to the edge of a ditch. He would've been grinning at the sight of what he discovered had he had been in his true form.

"I just found a whole lot of Energon!" Cliffjumper calmly cheered.

Above him, the sky began to darken. A tell-tale sign that something was going to happen, and whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good. Transforming into his true Cybertronian form, he looked around, finding a flying ship waiting above him, "Decepticons!"

Before he had time to react, the ship fired at him, sending him into the Energon-filled ditch. He crashed face first into some of the shards of the Cybertronian lifeblood. Picking himself up and onto his rear, he watched as one by one, Decepticon drones came raining down on the edge of the ditch where he was just previously standing.

"Arcee, about that backup…," Cliffjumper trailed off, looking around at the Decepticon drones surrounding him from above, knowing straight away that he was outnumbered, "Fair warning, boys. I'm gonna put a few dings in ya."

That was all the warning he gave to the drones before transforming into his vehicle form. He sped up the rocky wall of the ditch, flying off it to scare the drones at the head of the pack. Transforming into his Cybertronian form, he readied his fist to give the drones a pounding of their lives.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I wasn't worried about Cliffjumper too much to be very honest. I knew he could take care of himself in a situation. What I was concerned about, however, was if he were to get himself into more trouble than he couldn't handle.

But hey, that's just Cliff I guess.

" _ **Arcee to O**_ _ **ptimus,**_ _ **t**_ _ **he cons are back! Cliff might be neck deep in** scrap."_My spark started pounding when the main commlink came in and Arcee spoke through.

Maybe I should've been more worried after all.

" _ **Ratchet, do you have Cliffjumper's co-ordinates?**_ " Optimus Prime asked his friend.

" _ **I'm locked on**_ _ **to his signal,**_ _ **Optimus, but**_ _ **our**_ _ **team is scattered around different time zones,**_ " I heard Ratchet say.

" _ **Arcee, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Windswept, rendezvous back at base and prepare to**_ _ **Groundbridge**_ _ **,**_ " Optimus instructed.

As much as I wanted to disagree and say we bridge straight away from each place we were in, disagreeing with Optimus never seemed to get me anywhere these days. So I decided to let it go. I gassed up and quickly drove my way down to Autobot Outpost Omega-1, our home, to bridge to Cliffjumper's aid. I looked up to that mech and if anything were to happen to him, I'd know I'd be going straight to the person who dared to take a step wrong.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The Decepticon that Cliffjumper punched head on ended up flying into the ditch that the Autobot had previously been resting in. Two of the Decepticon drones would eventually join him in unconsciousness, having been knocked around, or out, by the red-coloured, horned Cybertronian.

However, the Decepticon drones had circled the Autobot, crowding around him, gaining them an advantage. One threw a punch at Cliffjumper, flinging him to the other side of the circle where another drone hit him. The next drone he stumbled upon actually hit him so hard in the face, part of his horn from one side of his helm came flying off.

The horn dug itself into the ground, not far away from where Cliffjumper would eventually land back where he started. In the Energon ditch. Landing back on his feet, the Autobot looked up to see that some of the Decepticon drones had followed him into the ditch, ready for a second round.

"You want the horns?" Cliffjumper asked, activating his blasters and allowing them to charge up with a whir, "You got them."

The Autobot let loose, shooting at the Decepticon drones with rapid fire shots. He managed to hit one out before the drones began shooting at him in an attempt to even their playing field. Cliffjumper danced around as he fired, making sure he wasn't hit by one of the blaster shots coming from hi enemies. He just needed to hold out until his teammates got to him to help.

A few of the fired shots he missed from the drones instead landed behind him and it wasn't long until one of them hit the Energon resting behind, causing a massive explosion of blue and grey smoke. It sent the Autobot flying away from where he was and into Decepticons hands literally.

With the Autobot now weakened even further from the explosion, the Decepticon drones were now free to grab him and begin dragging him up the ditch to the area where the ship above was resting, waiting to pick up its' occupants prize.

* * *

The blue and grey smoke continued to float around well up into the sky, allowing the occupants of the ship that was waiting high up in the sky to see what they had just lost.

This wasn't a normal ship though. This was a Cybertronian Warship know as the Nemesis. The Nemesis belonged to a bunch of Cybertronians known as the Decepticons. The Warship was home to many Decepticons. Especially three of them.

Leading the Decepticons were the (supposedly) untrustworthy Starscream and his sister, the sassy Slipstream ( **AN:** The toy version of her is what she looks like). And sitting on Slipstream's shoulder was the Decepticon's little project that they had been working on over the years since they had last encountered the Autobots. Rebecca Rose.

The teenage girl had clear pale skin with a slim and tall build. She had chocolate brown eyes and dark brownish-red wavy hair, a black headband fitted with a large black bow tilted to the left on her head. The girl wore a red short-sleeved crop top, a black high-waisted ruffle skirt and matching block heel ankle boots. She wore small ruby rose studs and two loose black bracelets on her left wrist. She had matte dark red lips, long black eyelashes with eyeliner and sharp glitter black nails. Hooked on her skirt at the hip were a trio boomerangs.

She portrayed the innocence of a sweet sixteen year-old female who didn't look like she could hurt a fly, but her appearance was only hiding her true persona.

"The Energon," Starscream hummed, "It's worthless to me now."

"It's worthless to **us** , Starscream," Slipstream corrected, earning her a growl in response from her brother.

"Oh well. We still got ourselves an Autobot!" Rebecca shrugged, excitement evidently building in her voice.

The trio turned to find two Vehicons walking up with the severely weakened red mech they knew was the Autobot Rebecca was talking about.

"Cliffjumper," Slipstream identified with a hum.

The first Decepticon Cliffjumper spotted was, unfortunately for the Decepticon, Starscream. "'Scream. It's been a while." The Autobot spluttered, coughing up a little Energon, "Where's your master?"

"Never mind him, it is none of your importance!" Slipstream snapped.

"Slipstream," Cliffjumper hummed with a smirk, "Now I see why Megatron hasn't come back yet."

"How **dare** you speak to Slipstream like that!" Rebecca snarled, holding up one of her sharp boomerangs to threaten the Autobot.

Starscream quickly grew bored, and a little impatient, "I am my own master now!" Freeing his sharp talons known as his digits, he stabbed Cliffjumper through the chest with his own claws, relishing in the groans and moans Cliffjumper made from the pain, "Any last questions?"

CIiffjumper couldn't respond as his lifeblood slowly leaked out from the wound. When Starscream removed his hand from his enemy, the Autobot fell to his knees before collapsing fully on the ground before the twins and the human.

"Clean that up," Starscream ordered, not caring about the mess.

Rebecca looked on the monitor behind them, "We must leave. The Autobots are going to arrive any second and we don't want to be spotted here when one Autobot in particular finds out what's happened."

The Vehicons that had brought Cliffjumper in began dragging the now lifeless Autobot away from the scene. At the same time, the Decepticon Warship began making it's course elsewhere.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

When we arrived at the co-ordinates, I leaped out of the Groundbridge first, activating my blasters. My optics darted all over the place in search of our comrade. I couldn't see him, and that only made my spark beat harder in worry. I heard the sound of someone arriving after me. I looked over my shoulder, seeing Ratchet about to come through.

Ratchet was the orange and white medic of Team Prime. He was Optimus' closest friend and deep down had a big spark for all of us. Even if I did get on his nerves a bit, I was in there. He's like a father figure to me. He took over the role as soon as I arrived on Earth, stating that I needed to be watched over given my history. Am I really that untrustworthy?

The next to appear out of the 'Bridge was Bulkhead. A former Wrecker, the big green Autobot also has a huge spark, but also a soft one. I look up to him as an older brother. He's really cool and funny and sweet. He'd be great with kids. Okay, getting off track. The main thing is that if you need a shoulder to cry on, he's your guy.

The blue Autobot, Arcee, joined us next. At first, I didn't think she liked me much given that I was formerly a Decepticon. But she slowly warmed to me thankfully. She's like a sister to me with a similar history too. During the war on Cybertron, a partner of hers was killed before her optics and since then, I hear she changed dramatically. We've sort of bonded over the loss of our partners over the years we've spent on Earth together and we've slowly grown closer with the help of Cliffjumper. Losing him would not only be a massive blow to me, but to her too.

Immediately following her was Bumblebee. The black and yellow scout's my age, but slightly older. Like me, he lost his innocence during the war. He was striped of his voice-box by Megatron on Cybertron and since then, I hear he wasn't the same. I bet it was hard on him, having something ripped apart from him. I've felt that kind of pain before. I feel for him as a brother, someone I've haven't really had since I left my home world.

Here came Team Prime's leader Optimus Prime. My red and blue leader was someone I looked up to. In my dreams, I wished to be a Prime. His duty is the same as mine: to protect and serve. Inside, I know, the former Orion Pax, who was taught to me by the great Alpha Trion, is still in there somewhere. Someone just has to dig it out for him and the only person I know who could do that is Megatron.

Everyone had their weapons activated, ready to attack the enemy. Unfortunately for us, no one was around. If Cliffjumper was here, then where was he?

"An untapped Energon deposit," Optimus observed as he deactivated his weapons

"What's left of it," Bulkhead piped in as everyone else mimicked our leader.

"The first Decepticon activity in three years," Ratchet pointed out.

I huffed and retorted quickly, "That we know of."

Optimus removed his face guard, nodding at me in agreement, "If the Decepticons are scouting for Energon, they may be preparing for _his_ return."

Arcee and Bumblebee began bouncing around on the rocks on their way down to the bottom. Arcee began searching for anything to give us clues about what could have possibly happened. As I made my way down to join her, I took in the view of the ditch. Well, what was left it. The faint grey smoke that was floating around us had a tint of blue within it - there must've been a battle. I wanted to wonder who won, but because no one was still here, I automatically had a feeling the victor wasn't Cliff.

I walked up to Arcee just as she gasped, bending down and picking up an object, "No." When she stood to full height, she held out her hand and showed me the object.

Icy waves crashed over me.

Cliffjumper's horn.

"Ratchet, can you track his position?" I heard Optimus ask desperately.

Arcee grabbed my arm in fear of the outcome. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it for comfort. We watched Ratchet open up the mini computer he installed into his wrists just the other day. His optics lit up at the sight of hope. Then the light faded away.

"No... Cliffjumper's life signal just went offline," Ratchet announced sadly.

Arcee nearly broke down as she hugged me close. I also kept my emotions in check. Because when my emotions went loose, they led me to crazy things. I just clutched onto Arcee as we begged Primus to keep Cliffjumper safe.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

After the dead corpse of the former Autobot Cliffjumper was taken away, the Decepticon Warship continued its' flight, waiting for any kind of signal that required their attention to pop up.

As Starscream, Slipstream and Rebecca overlooked the sight of nothing but the computers before them, their eyes and ears for their side of the war silently walked up behind them.

Slipstream's audio receptors twitched at the silent noise, her arms folded behind her back and looking over her shoulder, "Soundwave, what can we help you with?"

" _ **Like Jasper, Nevada's a party? We're alone wherever we travel on this rock cliff.**_ "

Slipstream turned around, looking at Soundwave with a thoughtful expression as she recognised the voice.

"The one called Arcee," Starscream hummed.

Rebecca stood on the control pad, "The one Cliffjumper was most closest with."

Soundwave suddenly played another recording, " _ **Just be careful, Cliff**_."

"Windswept," Rebecca spat out as if the name was poison in her mouth.

"Well, why slay just one Autobot while we still have the advantage of surprise?" Slipstream grinned evilly, a plan already forming in her mind and moving away from her brother.

"And where do you think you're going?" Starscream questioned immediately.

Slipstream looked over her shoulder with a smirk, "I have unfinished business that I would like to tend to. You're **not** welcome to join me."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

We pulled ourselves together and headed out onto a cliff not too far away from where our friend was killed. The sun began setting at the perfect moment as the memorial began. Arcee walked up to the small burial area which consisted of only rocks as Optimus began his speech for Cliffjumper.

"We must not allow our anger over the loss of Cliffjumper to impair our judgement. As of today, only we six Autobots remain on this Earth. We owe it to ourselves; to the memory of Cybertron; to any Autobots in any galaxy seeking safe harbour; to humankind."

During the speech, Arcee placed down the horn, allowing it to rest before we were to bury it properly after the grieving part was over. I walked up beside her and squeezed her arm.

"And we owe it to the memory of our fallen comrade to survive."

Arcee patted my hand before pulling away from me and away from us altogether.

"Arcee…" Optimus began, but failed to continue.

"If Cliff's gone, standing around here sulking won't bring him back. So unless anyone minds, think I'll get back to protecting humankind," Arcee decided bitterly before walking away.

I went to join her, but Optimus grabbed my shoulder. I looked at him with my optics pleading. But he refused. I folded my arms and sulked to myself as we watched Arcee transform and drive away from us.

"Optimus, helping humans will only result in more tragedy," Ratchet warned us as Bulkhead and Bumblebee silently moved away and left us to deal with their grief in their own ways.

"Your opinion is noted," Optimus nodded before gazing worriedly at the retreating figure of Arcee.

"Optimus..." I began when Ratchet left us, but my voice failed to continue.

A Groundbridge opened up behind us, Optimus guiding me towards it, "I know your emotions, Windswept. They are like my own. We must let them out in our way at home."

I pulled away from him and stared at the direction Arcee disappeared into, "I think I might keep an eye on Arcee. If anything happened to her..."

"Windswept..." Optimus warned me.

It was too late. I had already made up my mind. I transformed into my Kawasaki 250r motorcycle form and drove away from the burial scene. I looked in my rear-view mirrors and saw Optimus watching me. After a few moments, he disappeared into the Groundbridge and eventually the 'Bridge did too.

I knew Optimus was worried about me. He didn't have to. Arcee and Cliffjumper were the ones that were the most closest... But me and Cliffy came a close second. He was the older brother figure to me, like Bulkhead. Where Bulkhead made me laugh, Cliffjumper made me smile. He just had that aura about him.

And now that he's gone, that aura just faded away to wherever that red mech had gone to now.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Meanwhile, in a busier part of Jasper, Nevada, a local fast food chain was waiting for the evening rush of customers to end its' run for the night. Thankfully, for the sixteen year old blue eyed and black haired boy working at the drive-through section of the restaurant, the rush had settled and all that was left was one vehicle waiting in the line.

"Welcome to KO Drive-In where the patties are a knockout. May I take your order?" The boy spoke into the microphone.

" _ **Uh, two super combos, extra fries.**_ "

"OK. dos número two's. Anything else?" The boy asked, preparing the orders required of the customer.

" _ **Yeah. Some advice. How do I get an awesome job like yours?**_ "

The boy starred angrily through the window as the tormenting laughter rang through out the speakers near his ears. There was nothing wrong with his job really. He worked decent hours, he got paid – even if it weren't that much – and he did enjoy working there most of the time.

Then there were people like the guy ordering his meal who made the boy wish he could work somewhere else.

But where else was he going to find a decent job like this one?

"So that's two not-as-funny-as-we-think-we-are combos with a side of bite-me?" The boy snapped, placing the bags on the counter harshly.

The laughter from the microphone stopped suddenly, " _ **What'd you say?**_ "

The boy seethed, grabbing the microphone and speaking in a warning tone, "$5.59, sir, at the window."

The boy turned away for a moment, knowing how the routine went. The customers would pull up, pick up the order, pay for the meal and drive off to enjoy their dinner.

However, they forgot one important step.

The boy should've known the customers wouldn't pay by the way they cracked up with laughter as they drove off to enjoy their meal and possibly cause trouble elsewhere.

"Hey!" The boy shouted, slamming his fist down on the counter in frustration, "I have to pay for that."

The boy continued on with his job even more depressed than before, knowing very well he didn't have long before his shift was over and he could go home for the night.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I entered Jasper feeling empty. Me and Cliffjumper would always race around town, signalling the local law enforcement every once and a while. Our way of escaping them was fun - we either put pedal to the metal and just drove the hell outta town and towards base or we waited for the right time and just got Bumblebee to open the Groundbridge for us.

Optimus and Ratchet were never pleased with the three of us, but it was how we kept ourselves busy. How I kept myself busy from my thoughts.

I drove slowly around the town and past the local buildings until I eventually grew tired, parking up in a parking space on the opposite side of the Drive-In restaurant I decided to rest at. Bored, I thought about comming Arcee on the private link we were using with Cliffjumper before... well, before his death.

The private link will only be shared by the two of us from now on.

My audio receptors twitched at the revving of an engine. Mirrors looking around, I spotted a lone blue motorcycle pulling up in the parking lot close to the doors of the fast food chain. My mirrors also caught sight of twin Decepticon Vehicons travel down the road as if they were searching for someone.

Or maybe searching for a certain blue Autobot by the name of Arcee.

Her holoform disappeared and her motorcycle stand appeared for her to rest on.

I wanted to comm her and see how she was doing. But I don't really want to get my head bitten off by a grieving Arcee. Maybe later.

I rested for a moment with my holoform still activated, taking in the fact Cliffjumper was gone. As in, truly gone. Not coming back.

The last time I lost someone close to me was back on Cybertron when I lost someone I cared for as a brother. Although debatable considering I never heard word of whether he was truly dead or not, I allowed myself to think that, since he disappeared weeks before the death of our home world, he had been killed discovering the plans for what was happening to Cybertron from the Decepticon's point of view.

The sound of music coming from behind me had me nearly leaping in fright. I moved my mirrors and spotted a teenaged boy pulling out a small device from his back pocket. He flipped it open, stopping the music, spoke into the device

"Hey, mum. I just got off. …no. I'm not going to the dance. Experience suggests I should never cut a rug…unless I'm installing carpet... Be careful? Seriously? This is Jasper," The boy scoffed, wandering around a little bit as he was spoke. Then he suddenly paused, spotting Arcee's vehicle form sitting in front of him. "I love you…" He whispered to the motorcycle. Realising he still had the device in hand, he spoke into it again, "Yeah. I love you too, mum. I gotta run." He switched off his device and put it away, heading towards Arcee.

What is he doing?

"Hello, beautiful. Where have you been all my life?" The boy asked, overlooking the motorcycle form of Arcee. He allowed his hands to drift over the curves of the seat. "Nice..." He trailed off once more as he started to hop onto the vehicular form. "It may take a few KO pay checks. But I am going to own a ride like you someday,"

If only he knew that this ride was one of a kind...

"Are you talking to your motorcycle?" A girl laughed in front of him, a shorter girl beside her also giggling.

"My motorcycle?" The boy squeaked, knowing that he had been caught, "Uhmmm no... I-I mean, yes, yes! It's mine! But uhhh... I-I'm not talking... It was to you I-I am."

Oh dude, that's not how you talk to a girl...

"How's things, Sierra?" The boy asked, rubbing the back of his head, "Take you for a spin sometime?"

Something was happening. Arcee had gone all rigid and her rear-view mirrors started twitching. I moved mine and spotted the twin Decepticon drones she had escaped from earlier start zoning in on her.

"You know my name?" The girl the boy referred to as Sierra asked disbelievingly.

"We're in home-room together. I'm Jack. Jack Darby?" The boy, who called himself Jack, reminded her.

The Decepticon drones revved their engines, shining their lights on the human trio and Arcee's vehicle form. The humans shielded their eyes as I straightened up my vehicle form.

The girls ran away screaming as the drones started driving towards Arcee and the boy. Suddenly, my friend revved up and sped towards the drones. I internally freaked out, trying to figure out what she was doing. She slipped through the gap between the Vehicons and drove out of the car-park with the boy still on-board.

"Scrap!" I muttered, quickly following the Vehicons tailing her.

As I began chase on the Vehicons chasing Arcee and the boy still clutching onto her, I could hear the sound of a jet behind me. I looked through my rear-view mirror and growled when I recognised the blue and purple colour scheme.

Slipstream.

I made a snap decision to try changing my direction course to get Slipstream to follow me. I had no idea where I was going, nor what I was doing, but as long as she didn't go and follow Arcee like the Vehicons, it didn't matter.

I have unfinished business with that femme. I need to finish it. And I'm not going to allow her to get away with anything more.

Looking in my mirror, she activated her missiles, already aiming towards me.

Oh scrap, oh scrap, oh scrap!

I guess if those missiles were to go off anywhere, out in the desert where no one can see or find us wouldn't be a bad place to allow those missiles to hit.

I was so thankful when the missiles missed me and instead hit the road ahead. Quickly, I changed my course again, heading back towards town and to a bridge that oh so magically appeared ahead.

The roar of engines signalled to me that Slipstream was now flying right above me now with no intentions to shoot anywhere... Yet.

"How you been, 'Swept?"

I wanted to be sick at the sound of her saying my nickname.

"I heard about Cliffjumper. I'm sorry for you and Arcee's loss," Slipstream apologised with fake remorse.

"When I get my hands on whichever one of you 'Cons extinguished his spark, Arcee and I will show no mercy," I warned her.

Slipstream laughed loudly, "That's if **you** get the chance to."

She shot another missile, this one being directed to the bridge in front of me. There were already roadworks signalling that I couldn't go any further.

Oh bloody scrap.

As the missile went off at the bridge right ahead, I pulled to a hard left, flying over the guardrail. I transformed and dug the heels of my feet into the ground while Slipstream flew over me and changed course. I stood up straight despite being on a lean with the way the ground was shaped, activating my blasters at the oncoming figure of the blue and purple space jet, shooting rapidly at the approaching form.

Slipstream ploughed into me nose first into my stomach, lifting me off the ground and down towards the area below the bridge. I gripped onto her form as tightly as possible, not wanting to slip off and plummet towards the ground.

I looked down below me and found Arcee's motorcycle form surrounded by not one, but two human boys below the bridge. I could hear more revving close by. I looked around and found the Decepticon drones start driving towards the boys and Arcee.

Slipstream continued her journey to fly around in an attempt to shake me off. Eventually I decided to let go - I wasn't too far off the ground now and I knew I could land on my feet from here.

As Arcee transformed into her Cybertronian form in front of the now standing Decepticon drones, I landed behind her on my feet, one hand flat on the ground to stable myself and not end up with my face in the concrete.

Arcee wasn't too surprised to find me standing behind her, "About time."

"Not my fault Slipstream decided to join the party," I huffed, standing to full height.

Said Decepticon transformed and landed a distance ahead of me with a smirk, standing to full height.

"This ends here Cons!" Arcee shouted, charging towards the drones.

Slipstream licked her lips, "When you're ready 'Swept, we can finish this."

I charged at the glitch with a growl, firing shot after shot at her. I couldn't allow her to get away with anything else. Not after what she did.

When I was closer to her, I threw punch after punch to her. She smirked when I missed and instead punched me hard in the stomach. Then she twirled and kicked me in the side, the force pushing me into the air and landing away from her.

I already knew that revenge was clouding my judgement, but I couldn't allow her to get away with anything else. I leaped back up, despite the pain around my waist, and fought against her using simple melee combat. This time however, I managed to land a few shots on her, the worst one on her face-plate where I could see some Energon coming out of her cheek.

"You're angry," she started as I forced her arm away from me before she shot me with her missiles, "Angry that I took away your partner."

"Don't tempt me to kill you," I muttered darkly, "I'd hate to run out on the battlefield and realise I wouldn't have to face you because you're offline!" I also didn't want to kill her because of the humans watching the fights between Slipstream and I and Arcee and the Decepticon drones.

"What are they?" I heard the youngest boy ask.

"Talking cars that turn into robots…or the other way around," The older boy, I remember his name being Jack or something like that, guessed.

Slipstream snarled with a laugh, looking at the boys, "Look at them. They want to know who you are."

"Leave them alone!" I screamed, standing up from the latest blow and preparing myself to deliver a shot at the Decepticon femme.

I heard Arcee yell out suddenly and before I knew it, something collected me from behind, sending me skidding onto the pavement. I looked up at Slipstream now standing with the Vehicons getting ready to attack either me or Arcee, who must have been the one to knock me over after a hit from one of the drones. She was now on her back and preparing to get back up.

The sound of a revving engine made me look up and watch as Bumblebee drove off the cliff, transform and land squarely on one of the Decepticon drones before punching the other one away from him. Spinning around and spotting Slipstream nearing the humans, he surprised her by grabbing her waist and throwing her away from them and back to the drones.

As Arcee and I got back onto our feet, we began making our way to Bumblebee. There was a crunching sound, making Bumblebee look down at whatever he had crushed. He looked over at the humans, apologising to them for destroying whatever it was he stepped on.

"No problem," The small kid replied, "Really."

Wait what?

Before Bumblebee could look back, and before I could let the fact that the small boy **understood** Bumblebee sink in, Slipstream managed to land a shot on him, sending him plummeting to the ground. She sauntered up to him, stepping on his helm like he did when he first landed onto the scene and onto one of those drones.

"Stay down, little Bee," She advised with a sickly sweet tone, stepping away from him and allowing him to look up at her and the Vehicons, who had now activated their blasters and were preparing to shoot him.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" We all looked over at the small boy who yelled at Slipstream and the Decepticons drones. The trio of Decepticons pointed their weapons at the humans, the youngest one who gulped, "Please."

Jack bent down beside the boy, "Bad call."

Slipstream looked at one of the Decepticon drones, "Get them."

The drone nodded and began to stalk his prey. The humans, also currently known as the prey to the Decepticons, quickly made a choice and began running for their lives away from the drone.

Bumblebee began his chase after the drone, racing to stop him from going anywhere near the humans. Slipstream quickly went follow to stop him, but I tackled her to ground to ensure she wouldn't go very far.

Slipstream snarled and activated her claws, throwing me off her frame and a few feet away. I managed to land on my feet and straighten up a little. She caught me by surprise and grabbed my wrists when I nearly fell before her from the lack of energy. She brought my face close, "You couldn't kill me even if you tried. Besides, without you, Megatron wouldn't have anyone to fight for."

"He…wishes," I wheezed. Why in the name of Cybertron would she ever say something like that?

Slipstream kneed me in the stomach, sending me over to Bumblebee and Arcee, who were helping each other up after being knocked around by the Decepticon drones. They helped me to my feet before we stood together in a fighting stance, Arcee and I standing beside Bumblebee while Slipstream stood ahead of the drones.

Round two was about to begin when we saw some light shine onto the 'Cons. We looked behind us just as the sound of a horn went off, a green off-road vehicle storming onto the scene. Leaping up, the vehicle transformed mid air, revealing himself to be none other than Bulkhead. He landed behind us, smashing his fists together and eyeing up the Decepticons eagerly.

"Who's ready to rumble?!" He yelled in a battle cry.

Slipstream took one look at the four of us before muttering something to the Decepticon drones. They transformed and scattered away behind her.

Slipstream looked at us individually, her optics resting on me, "This isn't over. The Decepticons are back. And we're stronger than we've ever been. Let Optimus know the good news." With that said, Slipstream transformed, taking to the skies and never looking back.

With the threat of the Decepticons over for now, we relinquished our stance, Bumblebee resting his hands on his knees and me falling to one knee to rest.

"What took you?" Arcee asked, hands at her sides.

"Traffic," Bulkhead shrugged in an answer.

I looked up at Bulkhead with a simple, "Seriously?"

* * *

After a short drive back to Autobot base, Optimus knew immediately that something had occurred. He sat us down quickly to debrief the latest battle between us and Slipstream and her drones.

"And the 'Cons would've been scrap metal if I hadn't been distracted by the human," Arcee finished up with a grumble.

"Human," Optimus repeated in surprise.

" **Yeah there was just one. A** **nother human boy spotted us a little later** ," Bumblebee explained, holding up two fingers.

"Two boys," Optimus nodded.

"I guess the second one caught us in action. I don't know. Was a little busy at the time," Arcee grumbled further, looking at Bumblebee.

"If the Decepticons are targeting us, anyone perceived as our ally will be a grave risk," Optimus told us.

"So we're just gonna ignore Slipstream and her warning to us?" Arcee asked.

"Warning?" Optimus questioned, looking down at me standing next Bumblebee.

"Oh that," I shrugged sheepishly, momentarily forgetting the most important part of the story.

Arcee glared at me before looking at Optimus, "She warned us that the 'Cons are back and they're stronger than they've ever been."

Optimus seemed to wait for a moment, thinking about the words Arcee repeated to him.

Ratchet looked up when he realised who we were talking about. He turned around and faced me, "You know Slipstream better than anyone here. What do you think?"

I allowed myself to think about this one for a second. Slipstream and Starscream. They may be complete idiots sometimes, but they're certainly not that stupid. Slipstream has been well known to throw the dummy card out to fool others at times. And most of the time, it works in her favour.

I looked up at Ratchet, then at Optimus, "Slipstream's no fool. She's either dead serious or playing us. In this case though, after three years without a word from them, I don't know what to think."

Optimus nodded, allowing the words to sink in for a moment. Then he looked at the three of us before looking over to Ratchet, "Contact Bulkhead and request him to return to base. We have important matters to discuss."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" I asked our leader.

Optimus looked at me and only nodded with a knowing look.

* * *

"Remind me again why Optimus insisted on me joining you guys?" I asked her with a bored tone.

" _ **Because he wanted me and 'Bee to pick up the kids while you stay on patrol and watch out for any other signs of danger,**_ " Arcee told me with a sigh.

We were waiting at the local school named Jasper High to pick up the two human boys that Arcee, Bumblebee and I had accidentally revealed ourselves to last night. Well, I wouldn't exactly call it accident 'cause we were just doing their job and the humans just happened to be there. Things happen for a reason, so maybe we were meant to meet these two humans.

I was parked up a few parking spaces away from Arcee on the opposite side of the lot, my mirrors looking out for anything suspicious or anyone in particular. As we waited, I watched two girls walk out of the school and wander to another girl sitting on the railing beside the stairs that went up into the school. The girl on the railing was drawing something on her book, her drawing pencils scattered beside her.

"Coolest...bikes...ever..." I heard the girl compliment.

"Hey Miko!" One of the girls greeted the girl named Miko.

This girl had straight black hair with the odd blue streak tied up in a messy bun with blue eyes and pale skin. She looked to be shorter than her friend standing beside her, but I couldn't really tell. She was wearing a black strapless top with a matching mini-skirt and black ankle boots with one loose chain around each one. She also had countless silver bracelets on her arm.

"Hey Amy," Miko greeted with a hum as she looked at her drawing then she looked up to the girl beside 'Amy', "Hey Carly!"

The girl named Carly had long light brown hair and brown eyes. She had many freckles dancing around her face, was quiet slim and was at average height. She looked to have very tanned skin. She was wearing a pale blue denim shirt with rolled up sleeves, pale pink jeans and light brown sandals. She was also wearing a gold heart-shaped necklace. It looked like there was something engraved on it, but I couldn't see what it was, no matter how much I zoomed in my optics.

"Hey," Carly greeted, "So we have a history project due Tuesday. You guys wanna come over to my place and get started?" I swear I could hear a slight accent in her voice, but I couldn't tell what it was.

"Sure!" Amy decided with a grin and pulled out a device similar to what that boy was using yesterday, "Just lemme ring B and tell her." The girl walked away with the device pressed to her ear.

Miko looked up and showed a puzzled expression on her face, "Huh? Where did the other bike go?"

" _ **Windswept, where are you? I need some help talking the older human into coming with us.**_ "

I looked around and sure enough, Arcee had disappeared. I also looked across the street where Bumblebee was supposed to be waiting and he had also gone. When the two girls looked away from me, I quietly activated my holoform and drove away from them.

"Where are you?" I asked my friend.

" _ **Back of the school just around the corner.**_ "

I drove around the corner that Arcee had said she was at and sure enough, there she was in her Cybertronian mode attempting to talk the older human into coming with us. The boy paused for a moment, seeing that there was no way out of the problem he's stumbled upon.

"Look, Jack is it?" Arcee questioned, bending down to meet Jack's level, "Your personal safety is exactly why Optimus Prime has requested your presence!"

"Wait. Optimus who?" Jack demanded.

My friend got into his personal space, "You may be in danger because you are one of the few – one of the only – who have ever seen us!"

"DUDE! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GO WITH!"

If I was in my Cybertronian form right now, I would be cringing with frustration. Two of the three girls from earlier were standing at the edge of the corner. The one named Miko had an excited look on her face at the sight of us. The other one, Carly I think, didn't look as interested, but still looked like she wanted to know more about the scene before her.

Great.

"Scrap." Arcee looked like she had enough. She looked at my vehicle form in anger, "I thought Optimus told you to keep an eye out on the other humans."

Deactivating my holoform, I drove up to her. The reactions I got was Carly gasping, Miko smiling even more and Jack just slapping his forehead in frustration. If I were in my Cybertronian form, I'd be shrugging, "Sorry 'Cee. Guess I'm not in the right head space today."

"You and me both," I heard her mutter as she transformed into her vehicle form. She pointed her front tyre at Jack, "You know these two?"

"HI! I'm Miko!" Miko greeted enthusiastically.

"And I'm Carly," Carly smiled brightly. I could see from the angle I was on, she was looking at Jack with a twinkle in her eye. Hmmm, interesting.

"Okay," Arcee hummed, "Jack and Miko, come with me. Carly, you go with Windswept."

"We have some other people to introduce you to," I told them as Carly got on my motorcycle form.

"What other people?" Jack questioned in a mutter, but neither of us answered.

Once Jack and Miko were on Arcee, we began making our way through Jasper and out of town. Opening up the private com-link to Arcee so no one else could hear us, I apologised once more, " _ **I'm sorry Arcee.**_ "

I heard her sigh, " _ **It's okay Windswept. I know that these two days haven't been good to us.**_ "

" _ **Maybe we should take this as a good thing,**_ " I began. Before I could finish my sentence, I could already hear Arcee growl at the thought, " _ **Don't be like that! You know I always believe that things happen for a reason. This could be one of them.**_ "

" _ **You better be right,**_ " Arcee grumbled as we heard Miko scream in delight.

By now we were on the back roads heading to our base. At this point, we had caught up to Bumblebee with his passenger safely inside. Carly just looked a bit uncertain with what was going on while Jack was fuming at the sound of Miko's cheering.

"Is she always like this?" I asked my passenger.

Carly just sighed, "You'll get used to it."

I don't think I ever will at this rate.

"And why exactly are we taking her?" Jack demanded.

"Rules," Arcee and I answered, me grinning inside my motorcycle form when we passed the familiar stop sign and began heading to the rock cliff where my 'home' was waiting for us.

At the sight of the rock cliff, Miko quietened down. I could feel Carly's hands tighten on the handle bars, probably unsure of what was going on.

Jack was now the one shouting, "Hey. Wait! WHOA!"

The familiar rocky face disappeared and the mechanic doors opened. It revealed a secret tunnel with the ground looking like normal road paving. We drove through at normal speed before I heard the doors shut behind us and soon the rocky cliff would protect those doors from the rest of Jasper. I heard a gasp from Miko while we slowed down to enter the computer room. Ratchet doesn't like us speeding in unless it was ABSOLUTELY necessary.

Stupid rules.

"Cool," I heard the little boy sigh dreamily.

"Whoa," Jack and Miko gasped more as Bulkhead began entering the room while Ratchet just watched us pull up. That was when they and Carly hopped off Arcee and I while the little boy got out of Bumblebee. This allowed us to transform back into our normal forms.

"I thought there were two," Ratchet recalled.

"Haven't you heard? Humans multiply," Arcee stated dryly.

"I'm Raf," Raf introduced himself.

"I'm Miko!" Miko also introduced herself, running up to Bulkhead, "Who are you?"

"Bulkhead," The green wrecker introduced himself warily. I inwardly giggled.

"Are you a car? I bet you're a truck! A monster truck! Do you like heavy metal? How much do you weigh? Ever use a wrecking ball for a punching bag?" Miko began asking. Bulkhead just stood there with his mouth agape.

"Miko," Carly shook her head, "Give him time to answer the first question FIRST!"

"Carly?" The girl looked around when she heard her name and found it came from the little boy.

"Rafael?" She whispered as she walked over to him. She bent down and hugged him, "What are you doing here?"

"I was there when they were fighting," Rafael told her. I could tell he was hugging her tighter, "I'm glad you're here."

Carly ended the hug and stood up properly, playing with Raf's hair, "Me too, little bro."

That's when I started to realise how much they looked alike. The light brown hair and brown eyes were exactly the same. I pieced two and two together and after adding the little comment and her playing with his hair, everything made sense, "You guys are siblings."

"Damn right!" Carly smiled, looking at her little brother, "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

That melted my spark and just about brought a small tear to my optic.

"So if you guys are robots, who made you?" Raf questioned.

"Puh-lease," Ratchet scoffed to himself.

I rolled my eyes at Ratchet's comment just as the ground began shaking underneath our feet. As much as I wanted to say, 'Oh who could that be?', I decided to keep my mouth shut for Optimus' respect. And just as I think of his name, here he was. Blue, red and tall. Very tall. I looked at the children's reactions – they were in awe. Even Miko ran over to join the others to have a look at the Prime.

"We are Autonomous Robotic Organisms from the planet Cybertron. Also known as Autobots," Optimus announced to them.

Bravely taking a couple of steps forward, Jack asked the question that was probably on all of the humans minds, "Why are you here?"

"To protect your planet from the Decepticons," Optimus answered simply.

"The jokers who tried to bump us off last night," Arcee reminded Jack.

"Okay," Carly slowly nodded, "Why are THEY here?" She took a few steps forward to join Jack.

"A fair question, Carly," Optimus told the teenager as he knelt before the humans, "In part, they are here because our planet is uninhabitable; ravaged by centuries of civil war."

"Why were you fighting a war?" Raf questioned.

"For most, over control of our world supply of Energon, the fuel and life-blood of all Autobots and Decepticons alike. The combat was fierce and endured for centuries. In the beginning, I fought alongside one whom I considered a brother. But in war, ideals can be corrupted. And it was thus that Megatron lost his way," Optimus explained.

It was a terrible thing to remember. To see it was painful, but to even think of those red optics just haunted me every time I look back on what was the War for Cybertron.

Miko sighed, bringing me out of my thoughts. and twirled her hair, "Is there gonna be a quiz?"

Carly rolled her eyes at Miko's comment as Jack looked at Optimus, "So what does Megatron or any of this have to do with us?"

"Megatron has not been seen or heard from in some time. But if his return is imminent, as I fear, it could be catastrophic," Optimus answered.

* * *

 **NO ONE P.O.V**

When Slipstream had returned the day before after her battle with the Autobots, she was pleased to have given out the warning to the Autobots. She wanted to fool them, to prove to them that she nor her brother were weak and pathetic like some of the Autobots had originally thought.

But when Soundwave walked up behind her and Starscream, a flashing, beeping signal emanating from him coming from beyond their reach, Slipstream knew deep down that her warning wasn't as hopeless as she first thought.

"Those transmissions are emanating from deep space," Starscream immediately protested, turning to face the silent Decepticon, "I would hate to waste the Energon." Looking at his sister, who was smirking with glee, he looked back at Soundwave reluctantly, "Unless you are absolutely certain."

Soundwave only nodded his head in confirmation.

Starscream groaned in annoyance, looking at Slipstream. With a smirk and a nod, she looked over a Decepticon slave who was waiting for instruction from one of the twins.

"Lock onto those transmission coordinates and activate the space bridge," The evil Decepticon femme requested.

The Decepticon drone nodded at the request, typing in the transmission coordinates. And before Starscream could regret allowing his sister to make such a decision, the Spacebridge began opening somewhere well away from their location.

* * *

Space. Quiet, peaceful, great sights and just pure bliss. However out of nowhere, the peacefulness and bliss was quickly disrupted as swirls of blue and green formed a Spacebridge. And appearing from the portal was a silver fighter jet with purple highlights. The second he was free, he transformed into his normal self. In height, he'd be huge. In vengeance, he would be vengeful. In evil, he'd be on top of the list of the most evil people around!

Red eyes pierced into the place he was looking at, a sharp build contrasting to those eyes. The silver and purple jet gave it away at the start. He was no ordinary Decepticon. For he was the leader of the Decepticons.

"DECEPTICONS… I HAVE RETURNED!" The Decepticon, named Megatron, announced.

It was official. Spoken from the Decepticon himself.

Megatron had returned.

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

Well that's the first chapter for the moment. I hope you all liked/enjoyed it. And if you did, a little favourite/follow/review wouldn't hurt. Those count towards whether I attempt to write more of this or not. Otherwise, I may just take this down and not go any further.

I want to do a few things with this story. One of them is that I want to make this as believable and as relatable as possible. So I had to write and rewrite Rebecca Rose quite a bit during drafts before I got a good final copy of her. I originally had made her a techno-organic. I forced myself to change this as I didn't feel that we needed such a powerful character like that in this. Plus, I want this story to be different from the others that you all have probably read in the past.

The second thing is that I want you, as the reader, to see how these characters, and more that will probably be introduced later on (hopefully) bond and grow with one another. I want people to understand these bonds they share with one another and how these bonds came to be. These OC's that I have created and want to put in these stories each have their own different personalities and stories that they all want to tell. And it will be hard to tell their tales, but I hope that I can do it without them taking over the entire story and becoming Mary Sue's.

And I guess a third thing, is that I want to try to keep the characters within their normal character as much as possible. I can't help it if I accidentally write a character out of who they are. So I guess if you think I need reminding, let me know?

So that's it for now I guess. Depending on the feedback I get, I might be back. Might be. We'll see.

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 11/07/2019** )


	2. Chpt 2: Darkness Rising Part 2

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

'It's a Tuesday night. A female writer is sitting in her room quietly, bored by the show that was being shown on T.V. She's ready to shut her laptop down and go find something better to do elsewhere, eyeing up the blue console known as the Nintendo Wii sitting below her T.V. A "BUZZ BUZZ" sound interrupts her thoughts, her eyes darting to her Tablet sitting beside her. She grabs it and presses the home button where a small notification pops up. It's an email. An email that's telling her that someone has just followed her story that she posted a few weeks ago and had nearly forgotten about...'

I was quite pleased to see that small notification pop an hour ago. It reminded me that someone had also favourited this story a wee while back too. Thank you both for the follow/favourite. It inspired me to post a new chapter of this. So I hope you both, and hopefully many others, enjoy this chapter.

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept, Carly Esquivel and Rebecca Rose belong to me.

(The first bit after the recap is No One's P.O.V)

* * *

 _ *** Show Optimus Prime leaping out of the Groundbridge and standing before his Autobot team. ***_

 **Previously on Transformers Prime…**

 _ *** Show the Decepticon drones and Cliffjumper fighting. ***_

 _ **Arcee: "The 'Cons are back. Cliff might be neck deep in scrap."**_

 _ *** Show an Energon explosion occurring behind Cliffjumper, the force shoving Cliffjumper forwards and into unconsciousness ***_

 _ *** Show Cliffjumper's life signal going offline ***_

 _ **Ratchet: "Cliffjumper's signal just went offline."**_

 _ *** Show Optimus standing before his Autobot team at the memorial for Cliffjumper ***_

 _ **Optimus Prime: "As of today, only we six Autobots remain on this Earth."**_

 _ *** Show Arcee fighting against a Decepticon drone while Windswept battles against Slipstream ***_

 _ **Rafael: "What are they?"**_

 _ **Jack: "Talking cars that turn into robots…or the other way around."**_

 _ *** Show Slipstream gaining an advantage on Windswept ***_

 _ **Slipstream: The Decepticons are back. Let Optimus know the good news.**_

 _ *** Show the Decepticon drone in their vehicle modes driving and firing at Jack and Arcee ***_

 _ **Arcee: "Look. You may be in danger because you are one of the few –"**_

 _ *** Show Arcee getting up close and personal with Jack**_

" _ **One of the only – to have seen us."**_

 _ *** Show Jack with the other humans walking up to Optimus ***_

 _ **Jack: "Why are you here?"**_

 _ **Optimus Prime: "To protect your planet from Megatron."**_

 _ *** Show Megatron transforming mid air and deep in space. ***_

 _ **Optimus Prime: "But if his return is imminent, it could be catastrophic."**_

 _ **Megatron: "I HAVE RETURNED!"**_

The Decepticon Warship began its' descent downwards as it arrived at a mountain. This wasn't no ordinary mountain however. If the Decepticons were to arrive at a location, then there must be some sort of reason, right?

The Warship began to open up at its' rear, a tube similar to an elevator making its way further into the mountain when the Nemesis couldn't go any further. The tube made its' way down to the bottom of the open mountain, bypassing levels and levels of working Decepticon miners. It revealed the blue crystals known as Energon, the lifeblood of all Decepticons and Autobots alike, resting, waiting to be collected by the miners.

As the tube continued down the mineshaft and paused at one of the levels, Starscream boasted proudly about the discovery of his particular find,"Of all the Energon deposits we have located while you were away, Lord Megatron, this one, by far, is the most significant."

A Decepticon miner carrying a trolley of mined Energon walked into the tube where the elevator floor was waiting. As soon as he was ready, the floor lifted up to take the miner to the Nemesis where he would go and store the Energon before returning to the deposit to mine more Energon and continue the process.

"Since the discovery, the drones have been mining without pause during your absence and have amassed quite a stock pile. You there! Fetch me a sample!" Starscream barked the order at a Decepticon miner with a wave of his hand.

"Starscream." The silver and red Cybertronian jumped when Megatron called his name, walking further into the mine with Slipstream, "Now that I have returned, I will issue the commands."

"I understand, Lord Megatron," Starscream nodded reluctantly, stepping out of the way for him to oversee the progress of the Decepticon miners. Megatron looked over his shoulder briefly at Slipstream, "The same rule also applies to you."

"Then as your humble servants, shall we ready the space bridge?" Slipstream asked.

"Ahh yes," Starscream agreed, "To bring forth the Decepticon Army you have surely gathered during your three years in space?"

"My army will come," Megatron answered, halting Starscream's excitement, "But my time away has yielded a more…intriguing means of materialising them. The solidified form of the matter the Ancient Texts refer to as the Blood of Unicron." The leader of the Decepticons held out a purple flaming crystal for the twins to see.

"Unicron the Destroyer?" Starscream gasped.

"It is said that his blood is the anti-spark," Slipstream added, taking a step back.

"Plucked from Cosmic Shores, gaze upon Dark Energon," Megatron announced.

"Legend tells that it holds the power to revive the dead," Starscream remembered, whispering the last three words.

"We require only a cadaver to be certain," Megatron hummed, turning to Starscream, "Are you willing to make the ultimate sacrifice?"

Slipstream stifled a laugh of amusement, keeping her composure while her twin laughed nervously,

"That may not be necessary. If I may, Lord Megatron…"

The trio of Decepticons looked at the tube where the elevator floor floated down to their level. Two Decepticon drones were standing behind a stretcher holding the recently deceased corpse of the fallen Autobot Cliffjumper. At the end of stretcher was Rebecca, who snapped her fingers at the drones. The stretcher was soon brought forward before the Decepticons.

When the stretcher was sitting in front of Megatron, the girl looked up at the Warlord and curtsied before him, "Lord Megatron, it has been a long time."

Megatron nodded, "Rebecca Rose, you have grown up well I see."

The sixteen year old teenager fought the embarrassed blush that was about to leave its mark on her pale cheeks. Spinning around and facing the deceased body before them, she spoke, "Consider this a welcome home present, Lord Megatron."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"And since now you know of our existence, I fear that as of last night, the Decepticons know of yours," Optimus announced to Jack, Carly, Miko and Raf.

"Got it. If we spot any strange vehicles, call 911," Jack summarised quickly, "Can we go now?"

I blinked several times. Did I hear that boy right?! He just met a race he probably never thought that would exist and all he wants to do is go home? Seriously, if I were him, I'd be begging to stay!

"Are you insane?!" Carly asked him, "We could be living a dream here in Botswana!

Miko wrapped an arm around the girl, "You tell him my girl!" Then she turned serious and pointed at the boy she's probably just meet. Or probably knows him since they do go to the same school, "And me and Cazza are not gonna allow you or anyone else to shatter it!"

I piped into the conversation, watching Jack's reaction carefully, "Jack, its really not that simple."

"It is best that you four remain under our watch. At least, until we can determine our enemy's intentions," Optimus agreed.

"Optimus, with all due respect, the human children are in as much danger here as anywhere," Ratchet warned Optimus quietly.

"Children?" Jack repeated in offence.

"I'll have you know that I am a sixteen year old teenager whose a lot smarter than she looks," Carly muttered.

"Your point, Doc?" I asked the medic to continue.

Ratchet sent me a warning glare before continuing, "They have no protective shell. If they get underfoot, they will go… squish." When he had finished what he had to say, Ratchet took a small warning step toward the humans to prove a point. Jack, Miko and Raf took a step back.

Carly, however, stood there and crossed her arms. She looked up to our medic, "Gonna take a lot more than that to scare me. Heck, even my **own** mother is scarier than you."

Miko and Raf nodded behind her, "Agreed."

I bit my lip at the thought.

"Then for the time being, Ratchet, we must watch where we step," Optimus told him before the alarms started going off.

Great.

"What's that?" Jack asked nervously, seeing that all of us had turned towards the computer screens high above us.

" **Proximity sensor** ," Bumblebee whirred to Jack while pointing at the roof.

Jack looked to Raf for guidance on what he was saying. The boy opened his mouth to speak, but a female voice spoke before he could.

"He said proximity sensor. Someone must be up top."

My eyes widened and my mouth was agape. Raf AND Carly were able understand Bumblebee?! I shook my head, folded my arms and leaned on a support beam beside me, "What kind of family do you two come from?!"

"The smart kind," Miko muttered.

"It's Agent Fowler," Ratchet announced when he checked the security screens.

I groaned, "Really?! What did we do now?"

"I thought we were the only humans who knew about you guys," Jack recalled his earlier conversation with Arcee.

"Special Agent Fowler is our designated liaison to the outside world. As he tends to visit only when there are…issues."

"Issues ain't the word I'd be using," I whispered with some slight annoyance.

"It may be best if you do not meet him at this time," Optimus advised.

Almost immediately, the four humans scrambled for cover. My foot tapped the ground purposely; the support beam I was leaning on should be wide enough to provide a hiding spot for four humans just like these ones. Carly almost instantly noticed and nodded. Quickly grabbing Raf, she ran to me and hid behind the beam. Jack and Miko soon followed. Just in time too. The elevator doors opened and here came the dark-skinned man with the grey suit he wears almost every day. I studied his facial expression.

He. Looked. Pissed.

"Seven wrecks, Thirty-four fender-benders, a three-hour traffic jam and a particular note: numerous reports of two speeding motorcycles of unknown make-"

Arcee and I exchanged a look when Fowler mentioned the motorcycle part. She shrugged it off like she didn't care. I, on the other hand, thinned my lips and directed my optics elsewhere.

"-And a black and yellow custom muscle car."

Bumblebee then looked at the pair of us. Out of the corner of my optic, I spotted Jack and Carly trying to sneak a peak at the Agent. I coughed suddenly, forcing them to scatter behind me. When I knew that they were out of sight, Fowler and Optimus looked at me like they were waiting for me to finish up. Once I nodded that I was okay, Fowler continued droning on.

"So anything you'd care to get off your tin chest, Prime?"

"We have the situation under control, Agent Fowler," Optimus reassured him.

"They're back, aren't there?" Fowler asked him plainly.

"They never left Fowler. Earth is too valuable to leave with supplies still lingering around," I told him simply.

"Then it's time to wake up the Pentagon," Fowler suggested with intent.

"Hear me, Agent Fowler. We are the best – possibly, your only – defence against the Decepticon Threat," Optimus retorted.

"Says you," Fowler shot back darkly.

"Oh boy," I muttered when Fowler decided he wouldn't give up the argument.

"Hey, fleshy! Did anyone get splattered on that free-way?" Bulkhead interrupted, "Team Prime knows when to use force. And how much to use." The former Wrecker grabbed one of Ratchet's tools and before anyone could stop him, the tool was in pieces thanks to Bulkhead's strong grip.

"BULKHEAD! I NEEDED THAT!" Ratchet exclaimed.

"Enough," Optimus warned, shutting the pair up before turning back to the Agent, "Military involvement will result in catastrophe. Perhaps you can condone widespread human casualties, Agent Fowler. I, however, cannot."

"Then do us both a favour and handle this, Prime. UNDER the radar," Fowler requested, "Or I will." The elevator doors slammed in front of the him, signalling the end of his appearance for now.

"Pretty big bearings for a human," Bulkhead remarked.

"Agent Fowler is concerned for his world, Bulkhead. As he should be," Optimus told him.

"Man, that was tense," Carly commented as she and her human friends came out from behind me, "Thanks for the hiding spot."

I shrugged casually, "No biggie. Thanks for catching onto what I was saying."

"What can I say? It's a gift," She smirked. Oh yeah, her and I are gonna get along just fine.

"Carly!" The girl looked up to see Miko up on the stairs jumping around. The girl looked at her with a grin before running up the stairs to join her, Jack and Raf following them.

Hmph, maybe having humans around such as these may work out...

* * *

 **NO ONES P.O.V**

The returned Megatron, still holding the Dark Energon shard, stepped forward to the recently deceased Cliffjumper. "Let us see if power born of darkness can reignite the spark." The Warlord stabbed the former Autobot in his chest where his spark chamber would be.

Slipstream and Starscream backed away while Rebecca jumped off the stretcher and stood in front of the twin Decepticons. They watched the scene unfold before them.

The Dark Energon shard shone brightly before slowly entering Cliffjumper. The former Autobot opened his mouth as if he was going to speak, but it came out as a ferocious growl. The wiring and circuits around his body turned to a purple glow as well as his optics that snapped wide open. He broke free of the restraints pining him to the stretcher, and immediately put his newfound strength to good use, tackling one of the Vehicons on standby, throwing punch after punch at him.

He even ripped off the drone's blaster that he had activated when the reanimated Autobot started to go feral, landing close to the four Decepticons watching the scene. Starscream stumbled back, Slipstream stood, or more rather hid, behind Megatron in slight panic and Rebecca dove behind the blaster while peeking her head over to continue watching, all while Megatron watched with hidden glee. Another drone began shooting at the feral Cliffjumper, but this only angered him further, and he tackled the second drone, sending them further into the cavern.

"That's your plan?" Rebecca asked, starting to understanding her leader's idea.

"Bring Autobots back from the dead to attack us?!" Starscream screeched in disbelief

" **That** is no longer an Autobot; just a mindless beast. It's only instinct to destroy anything in its path," Megatron corrected darkly.

The 'mindless beast' suddenly changed its mind and began charging at Megatron. While Starscream, Slipstream and Rebecca scampered away from the deranged beast, their leader simply activated his sword and sliced the beast into two. Both halves of the Cybertronian monster fell off the cliff, but the top half managed to grab a hold of the edge, attempting to climb up with only one hand.

"There, Starscream? Rise the indestructible seed of my army. The ultimate weapon," Megatron announced, kicking the top half of Cliffjumper into the mine.

Rebecca snorted, crossing her arms as she watched the top half of the former Autobot fall land onto a platform, "Yeah, once we learn to control it, that is."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

"Blasted Earth tech," Ratchet cursed out of nowhere, turning towards us, "Cliffjumper's life signal popped back online!"

I looked up in disbelief. That can't be right! Cliffjumper's gone!

"Who's Cliffjumper?" I heard Miko ask.

"How is that possible?" Optimus questioned with a step forward.

"It isn't. Another bug! The system's chock full of them," Ratchet grumbled.

"If there's any chance Cliff's alive," Arcee trailed off.

Arcee and I exchanged a look of hope before she looked up at Optimus. He wouldn't turn down this opportunity, would he?

"Ratchet, prepare sick bay. We may need it," Optimus instructed, activating his mouth guard.

We all began to make our way toward the Groundbridge. However, out of the corner of my optic, I could see Carly trying to stop Miko from doing something. But she couldn't stop her.

"Hey!" Optimus and I looked over at the girl with the pink streak in her hair, gripping the ladder tightly with excitement. "What can we do?"

Optimus and I shared a knowing look.

"Remain with Ratchet."

"Awwww…," Miko sighed in disappointment.

"Awww," Ratchet moaned in frustration at the thought of baby-sitting the humans before activating the Groundbridge.

"Autobots, roll out!" Optimus instructed. We all transformed in our vehicle forms and rolled out.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"What just happened?" Jack asked in disbelief.

"I transported them to the designated coordinates via the Groundbridge," Ratchet replied, watching the humans turn to face him

"What's a Groundbridge?" Raf questioned.

Ratchet scoffed as if the humans should know what a Groundbridge was, "A scaled-down version of Spacebridge Technology. Since we don't currently possess the means or the Energon required for intergalactic travel…"

"You're stuck here on Earth," Carly interrupted in realisation, walking forward and gripping the protective bars.

"With the likes of you, yes," Ratchet answered sarcastically, turning to the still open Groundbridge and becoming very proud of himself, "But I constructed the Groundbridge to enable travel from here to anywhere on your planet."

"Whoa..." Raf gasped in excitement before looking back at Ratchet and asking excitedly, "Does it work for humans?"

"Naturally."

"You mean, I could just shoot on over and visit my parents in Tokyo?" Miko asked with a tone similar to the younger boy.

Ratchet jumped at the idea, "Within moments. In fact, allow me to send you there immediately. All four of you."

Miko glared at him with her hands on her hips, "Watch it, Ratchet." The medic could only look at her with a small tint of surprise.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

As we rolled out of the Groundbridge and into an Energon mine, we transformed out of vehicle forms and stood in a stance where our blasters were activated and ready to attack any Decepticons that threatened us. There were none around for the moment and they gave us the ability to relax.

Though I doubt that it'll last.

"Energon mine," Bulkhead observed.

"Judging by its scale," Optimus started, "The Decepticons have been tunnelling here for quite some time."

I spotted a bunch of huge rocks nearby and hid behind them for cover. The others followed my lead and joined me. From this point of view, we could see the Decepticon drones mining the Energon we desperately needed.

"Let's find Cliffjumper," Optimus decided, having enough of watching the drones.

Together, we approached the drones. When they noticed us, that was when the party really began. The Decepticon miners activated their blasters and began shooting at us. One drone actually pulled his drill directly towards us. Well, he would've continued driving towards if Bulkhead didn't smash it with his Wrecking Ball. Individually, we all charged and fire at the Decepticon miners that were threatening to harm us.

I ran up to a few miners, leaping and shooting at them. They fell to the ground with ease. One drone, who pulled his drill towards one of my teammates, ended up becoming my landing pad, stomping on him and nearly crushing him. The drill continued driving until I felt it being picked up by none other than Optimus Prime himself.

I leaped off it before he chucked it down so it couldn't continue driving to anyone else. We continued shooting miner after miner, eager to finish off these drones so we could find Cliffjumper.

If Cliffjumper was still Cliffjumper that is. Somehow, I highly doubted that the mech was still the same Autobot we knew and loved...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

While Ratchet kept an eye on the computer screens above in case the Autobots needed a sudden aid, one of the humans began to get a little bored. With curiosity beginning to get the best of her, she began exploring down on the floor level, looking around at the machinery that Ratchet had left lying around

Miko looked at one piece and reached her hand out to it, "What is this, anyway?"

Ratchet was quick to reply as he walked over to the controls, "Broken. Don't touch."

Miko stood to full height, watching Ratchet and making sure that his attention was elsewhere. She looked at the machinery and reached out to touch it again.

"Don't touch that either."

As Carly and Jack walked up to Miko, the former threw her hands up and whispered to her school friends, "Does he have eyes at the back of his head or something?"

"Is there anything in here we CAN touch?" Jack asked.

Ratchet went to answer, or to make a smart comment, when a red cross and an error message appeared on one of the computer screens.

"How come you are using human computers?" Raf questioned innocently

"It certainly isn't by choice," Ratchet answered frustratingly, "It was handed down from the previous tenants when we inherited this former missile silo. I make changes as I see fit." After his explanation, more red crosses and error messages appeared on both computer screens. The medic could only sigh in frustration.

Carly looked up from her position on the ground, hands on hips and eyeing up the computer screens, "I think we can fix that."

"We?" Miko questioned, but was ignored by her close friend who ran to the ladder.

"Hey Raf, you brought your computer right?"

"Hey yeah, I did!" Raf realised, pulling his computer out from his bag and plugging into the control console. ( **AN: This might be a good time to point out that I don't know what to call whatever it is the Autobots have set up. So I'm making it up as I go along.** )

"Really?" Ratchet scoffed in disbelief, watching Carly join her younger brother and help him type some commands into his computer, "You know this is complex technology, don't you? I mean, it isn't a child's toy."

Raf typed in a few more commands before he and Carly both looked up at the orange and white Autobot,.

"Now try."

Thinking he could just entertain the two humans who think they're so smart, Ratchet turned back to the computer screens that were still full of red crosses and error messages. Suddenly, all the red crosses turned to green ticks and the error messages disappeared, going back to whatever Ratchet had set up on the before the issues started.

In shock, he turned back to the two humans in disbelief. Maybe **some** humans aren't as bad as he previously thought...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

We dispatched the first wave of those dumb Decepticon drones easy-peasy. But we all knew there were more coming. A lot of them this time around, and more of them were bringing their drills to the party, knowing very well that it slowed us down when we were trying to stop them the first time.

"Maximum overdrive!" Optimus advised as we transformed and drove straight towards the wave of drones.

We all managed to either dodge the blaster shots or destroy the drones that threatened to stand in our way of reaching our goal. To find Cliffjumper and take him home.

Finally we reached the main mine, kind of like where the actual base of operations was happening. We transformed and ducked for cover behind some large crates that are probably filled with Energon ready to be taken up to the Nemesis. We all good quite a good view of the place.

Bulkhead whistled in admiration, "Quite the operation."

Great, just great.

We all activated our weapons and began shooting while more Decepticon drones began to fire at us. Seriously, the Decepticons never seem to run out of these guys. Just where do they get them from, I do wonder.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Unaware of the chaos in the mine below, Megatron eyed the up dark purple crystals in their holding compartment, humming and speaking to them as if the Energon was an actual Cybertronian.

"Blood of Unicron, how might I fathom the depths of your mystery?" Megatron practically pressed his entire upper body up against the glass, his red, piercing eyes seeking answers to his questions, "Become worthy of wielding your astonishing power?"

Behind him, Slipstream watched with her arms folded behind her back. Concerned would be a stretch, but an appropriate word to use given she was witnessing Megatron eyeing up the Dark Energon like he was the hunter and the Energon the hunted.

Before anyone could say or do anything, a beeping at the monitor halted Megatron and Slipstream in their tracks.

" _ **Lord Megatron, intruders have been detected in the mine**_ _ **s**_ _ **!**_ " Starscream announced.

"Optimus," Megatron realised.

" _ **Indeed,**_ _ **along with another familiar face**_ _ **.**_ "

"Windswept?" Slipstream eyes lightened up at seeing her enemy once more.

"Patience Slipstream," Megatron warned, placing a hand in front of her when she made her presence known and walked up to the monitor. He turned to the screen Starscream had appeared on, "I need more time to prepare an appropriate reception for my old friends. Ready the ship for departure."

Starscream was already hesitant, " _ **B**_ _ **-B**_ _ **ut the Energon I've mined! The Autobots will seize it!**_ "

"Then BLOW the MINES!" Megatron snarled.

When Starscream disappeared off the monitor, Megatron turned to one of his oldest friends, "Go and see fit that your worthless brother does what he is told."

With a nod, the femme ran towards the tube that would take her down to the mines.

"And Slipstream." Said Decepticon paused, turning back to Megatron, who's attention had gone back to the Dark Energon. "Do **not** go near Optimus or Windswept. Their part in my plans are necessary."

Confused, but not willing to anger her leader, the blue and purple femme only nodded at the order and continued her journey.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

During battle, sometimes I tend to get distracted. Usually, I'm distracted by the arrival of Slipstream and my urge to fight or, the preferred option, kill her. Sometimes I have to protect something, or someone, and get it, or them, to safety as soon as possible. But today, it was a certain colour that grabbed my attention out of the corner of my optic.

Something red.

I grabbed Arcee, making sure she dodged a shot along the way. She was about to scream at me until I pointed at the red figure on a higher-up platform. She knew who it was. We both did.

"Cliffjumper."

"Optimus, we have a visual," I announced to him.

"We'll cover you," Optimus told us, "Go!"

Arcee gave me a look that said, 'You coming or what?'.

I silently agreed, transforming into our motorcycle forms. We dodged shots left and right to get to the platform where our fallen friend was. I just hoped that he was in better shape than I was expecting. But when we transformed and our optics fell upon his figure, my body went cold and I knew Arcee's did too.

Cliffjumper had been sliced into two, his upper body lying there. I felt sick in my stomach when I saw a purple liquid surrounding his body.

... Is that what I think it is?

Arcee and I ducked at the incoming shots from the Decepticons. They weren't hitting us exactly, but the area where Cliffjumper was. I heard a creaking noise and realised that part of the platform was collapsing. The part that Cliff was resting on!

"CLIFF!" Arcee cried as she dove for him.

She grabbed his hand and when I saw her grip on him slip ever so slightly, I grabbed it. Optimus and the others continued to provide cover for us below. A rock suddenly hit my head with a loud _CLANG!_ , making me look up to see more rocks dropping from the roof around us. The place was collapsing.

"Arcee," I began warning her.

She ignored me, "Let's get you home, partner."

Cliffjumper looked at us with a deranged look in his now purple optics. I was shocked to see him this way, so shocked that I let go of his servo in fear. He began howling at us, but Arcee was not tempted to let go. Cliff wriggled out of her grip and began plummeting to the ground below us. My friend held her head down in anger and in pain of losing him. I clasped her shoulder tightly to provide her the comfort we both needed.

A cackle ruined the moment. I looked around angrily before seeing two out of many Decepticon figures I hated most.

Slipstream and Starscream.

And they were armed.

"Prime," Starscream greeted.

"And Windswept," Slipstream smirked, "I see our battle didn't do much damage to you. What a shame."

My only reaction was to roll my optics.

"We'd love to stick around. But…we're squeamish," Starscream remarked as he and Slipstream activated the bombs and dropped them.

Starscream leaped from the platform and into the elevator the Decepticons must have used to transport the Energon to the Warship. He transformed and flew away. Slipstream however, paused for a moment, and stared at me as if she had more to say. I presumed that with the ticking of the active bombs, it seemed that whatever she wanted to do would have to wait. She leaped from where she was standing and followed Starscream's path out of the mine

"The joint's gonna blow!" Bulkhead sounded his warning, interrupting me from my staring contest with Slipstream's retreating form. With Bulkhead's experience as a Wrecker and with them playing with bombs and stuff like this back on Cybertron, it was best to listen to him.

Looking down at the Energon, I found the bombs, slowly, but noisily ticking down. I looked at Optimus, who only nodded at me before facing the tunnel we had come from.

It was time to go.

"Roll out!" Optimus instructed.

"Come on!" I yelled to the silent Arcee. I had to grab her wrist and pretty much drag her away from the site. Optimus waited for us while the other two drove away. Us three transformed and quickly followed them.

The bombs began detonating behind us, making me look into my side mirrors and watch the Energon explode into blue smoke. The smoke began chasing us at alarming rates. Inside I panicked. Optimus, you better do something quick!

"Ratchet, bridge us back!" Optimus instructed, "Use the arrival co-ordinates..." There was a pause for a second, "NOW!"

I sighed in relief when the Groundbridge appeared before us. We quickly drove on through, knowing that the exploding Energon was still following our tailpipes. It was a close call as once we all drove through, Ratchet closed it straight after Optimus back-flipped the hell away from the portal. The Energon explosion would have continued to follow us had he not have closed it in time.

We all transformed and I could tell that the four humans were all in awe. Their mouths were agape, especially Miko and Carly's.

"Cutting it a bit close," Ratchet remarked before he eagerly asked the question we knew he'd ask, "How about Cliffjumper?"

We all lowered our heads, and our winglets and doorwings in mine, Arcee and Bumblebee's cases, in disappointment. The sombre moment was ruined when Miko began asking questions.

"What was that explosion? Was there a fight? Can I come with next time?"

Arcee maked her appearance from behind Optimus known with a dark growl, "Look."

"He-hey, Miko, let's go see what the bots hiding in their sock drawers," Jack decided, directing her attentions away from us.

"Seriously?" Miko questioned disbelievingly. She still allowed herself to be dragged away by the arm wrapped around her shoulder's. Carly and Raf joined them.

Once they disappeared, Optimus asked the question both Arcee and I were fearing, "Arcee, Windswept, what did you see?"

"Not Cliff. At least…not any more," Arcee answered, folding her arms like she was protecting herself, "He was mutated. Butchered like something from those 'Con experiments during the war."

She fell backwards slowly, me presuming that a wave of dizziness must have crashed over her. She stabilized herself on a crate. Bumblebee whirred, heading to her quickly as I jumped to her side instantly. I looked over her arms to see if anything was obvious that was affecting her. Just as I was about to say that there was nothing there, a small patch of purple liquid on her arm captured my optic.

I took a step back in panic, Bulkhead grabbing my shoulders like he thought I was dizzy. I wasn't. The purple liquid on Cliffjumper must have rubbed off on Arcee, causing her to become dizzy. Bulkhead released me and patted my shoulder while I observed myself for any liquid traces. I scrunched up my nose plate when I saw purple on my hand. This liquid has never really had much effect on me for reasons I have never figured out. But the others didn't know that so I rubbed it off as quickly and discreetly as possible.

"I'm fine," Arcee told us instantly, holding her hand out to stop Bumblebee from going any closer to her, "Just dizzy." We didn't believe her... Well, at least I didn't.

"Bots who get dizzy," Miko had gasped.

"Robots with emotions," Raf added after her.

"Robots who can die," Jack piped in next.

"They're just like us," Carly whispered to sum it all up.

My spark sunk at their words.

Ratchet had gone to help Arcee when the humans spoke and scanned her also immediately as Bumblebee helped her onto a crate. The blue beam from the scanner turned red almost instantly on her hand. Our Autobot medic was intrigued by this and quickly noticed the purple substance on her hand.

"What is this?" Ratchet asked himself.

"Don't know. Cliff was covered in it," Arcee answered.

"He was leaking it," I recalled.

Ratchet briefly looked at me as he took a sample from her hand. He instructed her quickly, "Go take a decontamination bath. Now."

As Bumblebee helped Arcee into the medical showers, Ratchet walked up and scanned me also. He took a few more scans before looking at me in the optic, "You were with her? Surely some of it could have rubbed off on you?"

"I-It must have come off or I never got it on me," I answered the best I can. Our focus was on Arcee and the events of today. I don't want to get in anyone's way that could set off some words filled with anger and pain.

Ratchet was going to continue until Carly spoke up, "Optimus, I don't mean to pry, but uhhh. We have no bars on our phones." Jack waved his phone in front of our leader.

"A security precaution. The silo walls isolate all radio waves," Optimus explained.

"Well, if I don't call my mom, like NOW, I'm pretty sure the cops will come looking for me," Jack told Optimus.

"Have you broken a law?" My leader asked worriedly, bending down so he was eye-to-eye with the humans.

"Uh, curfew. It's after 10pm," Jack corrected.

"I'd better get home too. Or I'll be grounded for a year," Raf piped in.

"And me two years," Carly added. Raf looked at her with a confused look which she seemed to notice, "I'm older than you. Therefore, harder punishment."

"Earth customs. I haven't considered," Optimus hummed, "But the issue of your safety remains. Bulkhead, accompany Miko home."

"AWESOME! My host parents will freak!" Miko cheered.

"And maintain covert surveillance in vehicle form," Optimus added.

"Curbside duty. Got it," Bulkhead nodded.

Miko moaned in disappointment as Carly giggled, "Are your host parents still gonna freak when they see an all-terrain vehicle parked outside their house?"

"Not as much as I wanted them to."

"Bumblebee, you'll watch over Raf," Optimus decided before turning his attention to the medic, "Ratchet?"

"Busy," Ratchet waved him off as a much-better looking Arcee appeared from the showers.

"Arcee, you'll accompany Jack," Optimus told her.

"Still dizzy," Arcee informed him. Her voice went up a pitch. She was faking it.

"You're fine," Ratchet told her.

"Says your physician," I added cheekily, earning a sigh from Arcee.

"It's only fair that if I have to take home a human, so does Windswept. It's makes sense since there's only one human left and Windswept, I'm sure, would love to get out of base more often."

"Hey wait what?!" I began stumbling over my words.

"You are correct Arcee."

"Gang up on me why don't you," I muttered under my breathe.

"Carly, your guardian is Windswept," Optimus announced.

I looked over to Carly, who gave me a small wave and a smile. I bet Arcee was smirking at me in her vehicle form when I transformed. I pulled up beside her as the two older teenagers talked while walking over to us.

"That's how you wanna play?" I whispered to her, "You just wait, it ain't over."

"Looking forward to it. I'm expecting a good challenge. That is, if you're ready to handle it," Arcee challenged.

Even though our emotions were being swallowed down for the heck of it, I knew that they were still there, ready to boil over us. But we needed to keep ourselves together for the humans.

"Oh its on!"

As soon as Jack and Carly got on Arcee and I, we took off out of base. I never realised how nice and cool the night was sometimes. It's definitely refreshing after what happened today. Losing Cliff was hard, but gaining four human allies in the same DAY?! They certainly cannot replace that red mech, but I'm willing to give them a chance.

During the ride, Carly told me to follow Bumblebee as they were just up ahead. We turned off, saying goodbye to Arcee and Jack while doing so.

"Windswept, are you okay?" The girl asked after a moment of silence.

"Yeah I guess," I sighed. Truth is, I wasn't. But I didn't really need Carly to worry about me. Optimus does enough of that as it is, even though I don't want him to.

"You're lying to me."

"Really?" I asked her dryly.

"Were you and Cliffjumper close?" She asked.

"Not as close as Arcee and Cliffjumper, but yeah we were kinda close," I answered, "But it happens. The ones we love die in the hands of our enemies. We just have to accept it and move on, even if we don't want to."

I moved one of my rear-view mirrors just so I could see Carly's face. Her eyes were moving around as if she was avoiding optic contact. I inwardly shrugged it off - I needed some silence anyway.

I flashed my headlight twice when I saw Bumblebee parked up across the road from the house. He flashed his back, as I watched Carly pull out a small remote. She pressed a command on it and the door to her garage opened up. I drove on in when she gave me a nod allowing me to. I pulled up and flicked my stand down, watching Carly's movements.

She pulled the garage door down, humming a little as she wandered around to a bench where she flicked a light switch on. The room lit up brightly when she did. I could see photo frames on the bench, one of which her fingers drifted over lightly. I heard her sniffle a little bit before turning to me.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Carly said, leaning back on the bench, hands gripping its' ledge.

"It happens," I told her simply, "We can't control the future and we certainly can't change the past. Things happen for a reason-" I stopped when I saw her eyes water slightly. Did I do that? "Oh, I'm sorry! Di-Did I hurt you in some-"

A door to what could be the inside of the Esquivel house slammed open. A woman slighter taller than Carly walked through. She had caramel brown hair tied up in a bun and red rim glasses like Rafael. She had a very slim build and had her arms folded when she saw Carly.

"Carly!" The older woman yelled, "Where have you and Rafael been?"

"Mama, relax!" Carly cooed, "Me and Raf were out with friends."

"Friends?" Mama Esquivel questioned.

"Yeah, like Miko and Jack-"

"Ahhh Jackson Darby," Mama Esquivel softened at the sound of Jack's name, "He's a nice boy, isn't he? How long have you been going to school together?"

"Practically forever Mama. Look I'm not interested in-"

The older woman gasped, "Carlotta Zita Esquivel!." Mama Esquivel stood in front of the door when her daughter made an attempt to leave the garage. She gave a sideward glance at me before looking at her daughter again, "This family has not seen a motorcycle since-"

"Yeah I know. Since Alejandro!" Carly snapped.

"Don't speak to me like that!" Mama Esquivel scolded instantly.

"Mama, just listen to me please!" Carly pleaded, "Alejandro wasn't wearing his helmet that day! That was his own fault! He may have been my older brother, but that doesn't mean that I'm gonna turn out like him!"

Mama Esquivel sighed and placed a hand on the bench to stabilise herself, "My star. I just don't want the same thing happening to you. If anything happened to another one of my children-"

Carly wrapped her arms around her mother, "Mama, we've suffered enough. It's time to let go of the past and look to the future. And this is what I wanna do." She pointed to me, "Riding MY motorcycle through the wind, deciding on where I wanna go next. Please Mama, let me keep it."

Mama Esquivel looked away from her daughter and snivelled. She bent down and began pulling something out of a cabinet underneath the bench. It turned out to be a blue helmet with the name 'Alejandro' written in fancy lettering. She pushed it towards Carly.

"Wear this helmet. For Alejandro?"

Carly took the helmet into her hands and smiled, "For Alejandro." She placed the helmet on the bench, staring at it fondly for a few moments.

"Come on," Mama Esquivel whispered, wrapping an arm around her daughter and pulling her to the door she had blocked earlier, "I've been worried about you and Rafael."

Once the doors were closed, I looked at the blue helmet with Alejandro's name on it. Looking at it reminded me about my friends back on Cybertron. A wave of emotions crashed over me as I quietly powered down to recharge.

* * *

I awoke with a jump. My breathing was heavy as I looked around in an attempt to figure out where I was. My systems cooled and slowed when I realised that I was sitting in the Esquivel garage.

I looked out the window just above the bench. The sun was shining brightly as if it had just risen. I looked at the clock on the wall near the door.

7:45am.

Scrap! I was supposed to have left to head back to base ages ago!

I considered yelling out to Carly or Rafael, but I ended up on revving my engine. When no one turned up, I revved a little louder and for a longer period of time. Finally the door opened and two familiar heads popped out and looked at me with angry looks.

"Are you crazy?!" Raf asked me.

"You're gonna wake up Mom! And you don't know what she's like when we wake her up from her 'beauty sleep'!" Carly whisper-yelled.

"Well, hurry up. Just because Bee and I are your guardians, it doesn't mean we spend all day here. Come on, let's go!" I told them.

Carly looked down at Raf when he looked up at her, "Write the note for Mom and bring those chips we love so much and I'll do the dishes tonight. Deal?"

"Oh...all right. But next time, you're writing the note." And with that, Raf disappeared inside.

The garage door opened as Carly grabbed her helmet she was given last night. I pulled out of the garage, down the driveway and waited. Carly slammed the door shut and walked down to me. She hopped on and we sped off to enjoy the day drama-free.

Drama-free... yeah, right.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

When the clouds are at their darkest high in the sky, normally that's a sign that it's going to rain. Why? Because the darker clouds always carry water. So, if a similar-coloured Warship was floating around within the clouds, is that a sign that it's going to start raining Decepticons?

It hadn't started raining yet, maybe that's also a sign that it's not gonna rain Decepticons for a little while longer.

After all, there's no action that's going to occur for a little while. Not while four of the main Decepticons were currently meeting up in the room where the Dark Energon was currently stored.

Oh, what a surprise.

"I don't think you need to worry about further Autobot interference, Master," Starscream told his leader. "Not with Optimus AND Windswept gone."

Slipstream snorted and Rebecca rolled her eyes at his words. They ignored the annoyed look the latter gave them when Megatron emerged from one side of the holding compartment where the, more rather **his** , Dark Energon continued to rest in, and walked around it.

"And what evidence do you present of this fact?"

"I destroyed the mines as you instructed," Starscream answered simply as if it was the most easiest thing in the world to do.

Rebecca folded her arms, pointing her head towards the Decepticon, "You are well aware that this is Optimus Prime and Windswept we're talking about, right?"

Starscream growled at the thought of allowing the little brat known as Rebecca Rose make him look like a fool. He opened his mouth to protest, but Megatron beat him to it.

"Optimus is not so easily destroyed. Optimus and I have millennia worth of battles behind us to prove it."

"And Windswept has survived worse," Slipstream added, looking at Starscream with a hand one her hip, "And I would know. I've given her worse!"

Defeated, Starscream ignored his sister and instead focused his attentions on Megatron, who was still eyeing the Dark Energon up like a piece of candy, "Maybe you should take a break, my lord. I fear too much contact with the Dark Energon might allow its properties to adversely affect you."

"Or perhaps, Starscream, I have not permitted myself contact enough," Megatron contemplated, ripping a Dark Energon crystal from the holding compartment.

Panicking, Slipstream stepped forward, "Wait! Lord Megatron! No!"

"Not your spark chamber!" Rebecca protested immediately.

"You do not know what it will do!" Starscream reminded him in an urgent tone.

But their begs and pleads were not enough to stop Megatron from stabbing the purple crystal of Dark Energon into his spark chamber. Allowing the Dark Energon to start making its course throughout his frame, the Decepticon leader stood, shaking as the Blood of Unicron started to light his frame up in the colour of purple, his eyes following suit...

* * *

Meanwhile at Autobot Base, having taken a sample of the purple substance he had scraped off Arcee after discovering it on her hand and having seen her react badly to it, Ratchet was analysing it to see what the substance was. He looked at the computer screen with a hum.

"The base elements of this goo are like nothing I've ever encountered. It must be extremely concentrated to have affected Arcee so rapidly. Unfortunately, complete results are slow-coming without the use of proper diagnostic tools. Thank you very much, Bulkhead."

Removing the slide from the hard-drive, Ratchet began his way into the med-bay to examine the so called 'goo' further. As he did so, he unknowingly spilt some of the substance onto the broken diagnostic tool Bulkhead had destroyed earlier when he was trying to prove a point to Agent Fowler.

The goo reanimated the tool, glowing purple and becoming alive as it stood. Getting used to its' legs, its' instinct became well known when it started to look around for something, something to destroy that was in its' path.

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

Another chapter down. Sorry I took a long time to post a second chapter. These episodes aren't exactly easy to write so I do try my hardest to make sure I get every detail. But with me finished with schooling for another year now that I am on exam leave, I have all the free time in the world to do some more work (as well as getting a few extra things done, but I ain't telling you all about that!)

A little follow/favourite/review won't hurt a single fly. But no promises, just in case. ;)

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 11/07/2019** )


	3. Chpt 3: Darkness Rising Part 3

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 2018, huh? And almost two full weeks in?! It's insane how time is just flying by us at rapid rates. But enough about that. Let's get to the most important bits.

I just want to say a few quick thank yous to jackn37, Traceytron 54321, and Sakura9544 who all have clicked the follow button and are now following this story. I also especially wanna thank Sakura for also favouriting this story and for sticking by me through all my TFP stories. They were one of my first followers on my first ever story on here so thank you so much for your continued support. And also, thank you Traceytron 54321 for the review, even though it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Sorry hun if you think Ratchet is red and white, I'm just writing him as I see him. And to me, he's orange and white. But hey, we all have our opinions.

I would've updated a lot sooner. Possibly even on Christmas. But sometimes, you forget to realise just how busy that period around Christmas and New Year are. That, and of course, I was kind of being lazy because I got good haul of loot for Christmas. But enough about me. I've got a chapter to post.

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept, Carly Esquivel and Rebecca Rose belong to me.

(After the recap, it's Windswept P.O.V)

* * *

 _ *** Show the rock formations where the Autobot base is hidden. ***_

 **Previously on Transformers Prime…**

 _ *** Show Jack, Carly, Miko and Raf starring up at Optimus Prime. ***_

 _ **Optimus Prime: "It is best you three remain under our watch."**_

 _ *** Show Megatron walking up to the holding compartment containing Dark Energon. ***_

 _ **Megatron: "Gaze upon Dark Energon."**_

 _ *** Show Megatron, Starscream, Slipstream and Rebecca crowd around a stretcher carrying the deceased Cliffjumper ***_

 _ **Starscream: "Legend tells that it holds the power to revive the dead."**_

 _ *** Show Megatron stabbing Cliffjumper with a sliver of Dark Energon. ***_

 _ *** Show the computer screen at Autobot base flash Cliffjumper's life signal. ***_

 _ **Ratchet: "Cliffjumper's life signal popped back online!"**_

 _ *** Show Cliffjumper releasing a feral growl before charging. ***_

 _ *** Show Team Prime fighting the Decepticon miners in the mine. ***_

 _ **Optimus:"Let's find Cliffjumper!"**_

 _ *** Show Arcee and Windswept rushing to the top half of Cliffjumper one on of the platforms while Decepticon blaster fire rains upon them. ***_

 _ **Arcee: "CLIFF!"**_

 _ *** Show Arcee and Windswept racing to grab Cliffjumper, but being too late as he falls into the mine willingly. ***_

 _ *** Show a purple substance on Arcee's hand at Autobot base. ***_

 _ **Ratchet: "What is this?"**_

 _ *** Show Ratchet accidentally spilling some of the substance onto a broken tool. ***_

 _ **Arcee: "Don't know. Cliff was covered in it."**_

 _ *** Show the purple substance reanimate the tool and bringing to life. ***_

 _ *** Show Megatron pulling a shard of Dark Energon from its main source. ***_

 _ **Slipstream: "Wait! Lord Megatron!**_

 _ **Starscream: "You don't know what it will do!"**_

 _ *** Show Megatron stabbing himself with Dark Energon and letting it take its course upon his frame, his once red and piercing eyes now turning a bright purple. ***_

"So you're telling me that you led your own team on your home planet?"

"Yep. Although, I'll admit, it wasn't the biggest team on the planet, but we were one none the less. We were pretty close. It was shame when Cybertron's core was dying and some of us were shipped off on escape pods separately," I explained to my new friend.

Driving down the highway towards base was boring so I decided to talk to Carly about life on Cybertron. She was very interested in what I had to say about my life and the more I continued talking about it, the more questions she asked.

"Were you one of the first?"

"Yeah. I wanted to make sure it worked so I volunteered myself as one of the first to go. Obviously, it worked."

"So where in the solar system would your friends be now?" Carly asked once more.

I hesitated a little. I didn't really like talking about this, "I'm not sure. I don't even know if they managed to get off Cybertron in time. Some were left behind to make sure most of waves of Autobot ships got off the planet. They were left behind to scout for any remains of anything important. Or to get rid of the planet's vermin. If anyone were still there then, they might be long gone now. Energon rations were almost depleted by the end of the War for Cybertron. They would've starved."

"Either that or they were killed by vermin." I checked my rear-view mirrors and found Arcee with Jack on board driving alongside us.

"You're up early," Jack spoke to Carly, "Never pegged you as a morning person."

"Never was until SOMEONE woke me up," She growled.

"You were already up anyway. We were out the door by ten to."

"Yeah well, I couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about what all of this means," Carly shrugged, looking at Jack, "You know the Esquivel family doesn't lie to one another."

Jack looked a little surprised by the way Carly speaking to him, "Yeah I know. But at least Raf knows, right?"

"It makes it that little bit easier. But not only am I lying to my own family, I'm going to be lying to my best friend," Carly said in an upset tone, "I tell Amy everything no matter what."

"You know, this secret is one you have to keep, right?" I told her. Amy was the one with the hair bun and blue streak, right?

"Amy and I have been best friends since we met in preschool. She knows that I can't keep secrets. She's gonna figure it out that I'm keeping something from her, and who knows what's gonna happen next."

"That's why Jack here is going to stop you from accidentally spilling any secrets," Arcee decided.

"Wait, what?" Jack asked in a panic, "Since when?"

"Since now."

We drove around for a little bit in silence until I decided to talk to Arcee through the private link.

" _ **You keen on a little race?**_ "

" _ **Maybe, where to?**_ "

" _ **Just to the next mile marker.**_ "

" _ **When you're ready.**_ "

We paused at a stop sign and moved our rear-view mirrors around, looking at the confused glances the teenagers gave each other.

"You two better tighten your grip," I warned.

With that, Arcee and I took off, leaving Carly and Jack to yell in surprise. We traveled down the road until we hit the mile marker we were aiming for. We both had crossed it at the same time so we shrugged it off as a tie. So Arcee and I decided to hang loose and pull some wheelies.

"Hey? What's with you guys?" Jack asked. I could hear the grin in his voice.

"We thought you two might actually enjoy the ride without getting shot at," I smirked in answer.

"Let's race again!" Carly grinned before narrowing her eyes at Jack, "This time, someone's gotta lose!"

"Bring it!" Jack challenged.

"Let's go then!"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Resting at the top of a rocky hill was Bulkhead's green off-road vehicle form. Inside the vehicle was none other than his recently acquired charge Miko, who looked eager for some entertainment. And by the way the vehicle was waiting at the edge of the downhill terrain, it was not hard to figure out what Miko wanted to do.

The Japanese exchange student was ready to go, beginning the countdown, "Ready...Set..."

"Miko, I'm supposed to be protecting you," Bulkhead interrupted her hesitantly.

"Bulkhead, I'm strapped tight inside ten pounds of muscle," The girl assured him, patting the inside of the door and leaning back into the seat comfortably, "I'm protected."

Convinced and reassured by the teenager, Bulkhead started his engines and began racing down the rocky hill, relishing in the excited yells and cheers of his new found friend in Miko.

* * *

Parked up in the desert away from population was Bumblebee and his new friend Rafael. Inside of the scout's vehicle was a little monitor where there were two Formula 1 cars, one red and yellow, racing side by side.

Using his controller, Raf pressed multiple buttons in an attempt to beat Bumblebee, who was using his own steering wheel to race with.

The race was tight and fierce; it looked like either one of the two could win the race. But before any of them crossed the finish line, the red Formula 1 car slightly moved over on the race track, gently tapping the yellow car. The latter car spun out as a result of the contact, spelling the end of the road for one of the drivers as the words 'GAME OVER' flashed in white over the monitor.

Raf groaned in disappointment while Bumblebee spun his steering wheel around in happiness, cheering in his whirrs and beeps. It was obvious who had won this race… despite taking his competitor out while doing so.

"No fair, Bumblebee!" Raf pouted with a laugh, "You've been driving a lot longer than I have!"

* * *

As the sun rose up on the new, and hopefully a better day, inside the Autobot base had a similar feeling. The Autobot medic Ratchet wandered around his study with his purple substance slide a bit more happier, "Thank goodness for peace and quiet. House guests can be such a bother."

The sound of something metal hitting something interrupted the him, looking immediately at the noise. He looked around the room he was currently in, down the corridor leading to another area of the base and down the Groundbridge tunnel. Hesitantly, his optics shifted back to his work, thinking he must have imagined the noise.

The sound of a scattering metal object made him look up again.

Maybe he wasn't imagining it after all.

He stepped away from his work, looking over at the Groundbridge tunnel again.

"Optimus?" Ratchet called, knowing his leader was the only other Autobot currently in the base.

The noise started to come closer. Spinning around, he found the once destroyed tool that Bulkhead had broken the previous day, moving around at a rapid pace towards him.

"By the All Spark!" Ratchet yelled as the tool leaped up to his height to attack the him...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Carly and I raced and raced and raced Jack and Arcee until all four of us were out of energy. Eventually we settled on 3-3, a tie but meaning we still won three rounds. I'll take that any day. Carly asked me if we could go to base to relax. I agreed with her and we left Arcee and Jack to carry on doing whatever they wanted to do.

As we drove into the entry of the Autobot base, a lot of noise was coming from the main room of the base. I wasn't the only one hearing it.

"What's going on?" Carly asked curiously.

"No idea," I answered as I slowed down slightly, becoming more cautious as we entered the main area.

What we came across was a scary sight.

Ratchet had a metal pipe in his hand… and was fighting the tool that Bulkhead had broken yesterday which somehow had come to life.

"I NEEDED THAT!" Ratchet cried when the tool broke a piece of machinery that he was working with… that he also needed.

Carly screamed, leaping off my vehicle form and throwing her helmet off to get a better look at the creature. I transformed and blocked her view in case the tool managed to get a look at my new friend and decided to race after her.

Ratchet lost his grip on the pipe when the tool began charging and making an attempt to attack him. I activated my blasters in a panic, shooting wildly at the tool. But because I was frightened of the tool, and for the safety of Carly, the fear clouded my view, thus only gaining the animated tools attention and not actually getting a chance to destroy it.

It charged at me and Carly instead. Deactivating my blasters, I shielded myself and Carly as the creature leaped up to attack us.

The sound of a blaster shot hitting the creature made Carly and I look up. Optimus was standing in front of the Groundbridge with his blaster activated. Ratchet sighed in relief as we spotted the creature on the ground, electricity cackling around it. It took a moment to rest on the ground before suddenly jumping back onto its' feet, ready to strike again. Carly gripped the armour on the back of my leg as the creature got an eyeful of her and decided on its next course.

...But before it could go anywhere, Optimus stomped on the creature, destroying the little piece of scrap for good.

Now it was mine and Carly's turn to sigh in relief.

"And stay broken!" Ratchet told the piece of machinery once we were all in the clear.

"What the heck happened here?" Carly asked, stepping out from behind me and going to observe the broken creature.

Optimus removed his mouth guard, looking down at the teenager, "I have a grave suspicion, Carly. Dark Energon."

And the plot thickens...

* * *

 **NORMAL P.O.V**

As the Decepticon Warship continued to fly throughout the now white clouds, inside the Warship didn't look so bright.

Megatron looked down at his Decepticon logo across his spark chamber, purring in content now he had Dark Energon flowed through his veins.

"L-Lord Megatron?" Slipstream whispered nervously, walking up a few steps behind her close and personal friend.

Slipstream, Starscream and Rebecca stared at their leader, who had just stabbed himself with Dark Energon. They knew that they couldn't bring back Megatron now, not with that substance flowing through him.

"It's as if the Blood of Unicron the Destroyer flows through my veins. As if I hear his very thoughts. I now know what I must do," Megatron spoke while ripping off another shard.

"Is there anything we can help you with?" Rebecca asked, taking a few steps to be Megatron's optic line, keeping herself as calm as possible.

"You can help me by staying here with Starscream," Megatron told her before looking at Slipstream, "You shall come and help me with my next plan." Slipstream nodded at the simple request and walked away to head outside.

"Are you sure there isn't anything we can assist you with, Master?" Starscream questioned as if he didn't hear Rebecca ask their leader the exact same question.

Megatron bared his denta at the two he left behind, "Quit grovelling and await my command." With that, he walked away to join Slipstream.

Once they were standing in the cool air on the top of the Nemesis, the two Decepticons transformed into their fighter jet forms and flew away to do what Megatron had planned. Starscream and Rebecca could only watch from the monitor as their leader and his more preferred option as Second in Command flew out of the white clouds and into the blue sky.

Rebecca greeted the silent figure behind her with a sigh, "Nice to see you, Soundwave."

Starscream jumped at the sound of Soundwave's name on Rebecca's tongue, having been deep in his thoughts of what to do next to even register his always sudden appearance, "Soundwave, I fear that when our master reached for the stars, he came down with a touch of space madness. Lord Megatron has not been of sound judgment since his return. Increase global surveillance."

Soundwave only played the recording of Megatron's last words before leaving with Slipstream, " _ **Quit grovelling and a**_ _ **wait my command.**_ "

"Awww, must you always spoil the fun?" Rebecca pouted, her shoulders relaxed and posture looking as if Soundwave had actually ruined her 'fun'. Then she stood up properly, "Well, if our enemies are indeed alive, which I believe they most certainly are-" She took a glance at Starscream with a smirk, continuing to make him look like the fool he was before looking back at Soundwave, "It is in our best interest that we ensure their destruction."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"If the residue Arcee found on Cliffjumper brought Ratchet's broken equipment to life, it would stand to reason that the very same substance brought Cliffjumper back from the dead," Optimus explained, disposing the remaining pieces of the once alive tool in a container near Ratchet's work space.

Never to be seen again hopefully...

"That would account for his life signal in-explicitly coming back online," Ratchet agreed, "But Dark Energon? It's so scarce as to be virtually non-existent! What would it be doing on Earth?"

"Uhhh, transported maybe?" Carly guessed with a shrug, sitting at the edge of the steps at ground level and fiddling with the straps of her helmet.

I gasped in realisation, "By Megatron."

"For what purpose?" Ratchet wanted to know.

"To lead this planet with his sick and selfish ways by raising an army of the undead," I answered coldly.

"Well, Megatron would need to break quite a few toaster ovens. I mean, where on this world would he find that many Cybertronian dead?!" Ratchet laughed.

We were interrupted by the rest of the team returning from wherever they came from. Once the humans either got out of or hopped off their guardians, the latter transformed as they all smiled and cheered about the fun they just had.

"That was awesome!" Jack cheered excitedly.

"Can we go again?" Raf asked Bumblebee eagerly.

"Sweet!" Miko squealed ecstatically.

A rumbling noise sounded from Bulkhead. Something wasn't right.

"Bulkhead? You okay there?" I asked.

I think a lot of us were surprised when the larger green mech opened part of his chest plating and brought out a black guitar case. He bent down and gave it to Miko, who was quickly apologising.

"Sorry! Must have left that in the backseat!"

"Autobots, prepare to…" Optimus trailed off when he saw the looks on the humans faces.

"Roll out?" Arcee asked knowingly.

"Remain here. Ratchet, you'll come with me. Arcee, we'll be outside communications range for some time. So I'm putting you in charge," Optimus decided.

"Dude, you're biggest. You should be the boss!" Miko looked up to Bulkhead.

Bulkhead let out a quiet sigh, "He never picks me." I patted his arm, but his only response was looking at me un-reassuringly.

"Optimus, with all due respect, playing bodyguard is one thing. Babysitting is another," Arcee began as Carly and Jack sighed behind her before they, Miko and Raf walked away, "Besides, Ratchet hasn't been in the field since the war!"

"My pistols may be rusty, but my hearing is sharp as ever!" Ratchet piped in as he fiddled with the Groundbridge controls

I rolled my eyes and refrained from making a smart comment to our dear medic.

"For the moment, it's only reconnaissance," Optimus reassured her.

"Then why do I hear an edge in your voice?" Arcee retorted.

I whispered knowingly, "Oh boy."

"Arcee, much has changed in the last 24 hours. And we all need to adapt. Ratchet, bridge us out," Optimus instructed.

Optimus then turned around, stopping when he spotted me on the way. Then he looked at Carly, "Do you mind if Windswept joins us?"

My eyes widened when I heard Optimus ask that. Carly just beamed at me.

"Of course I don't mind!"

"Oh lovely," Ratchet muttered.

I just smiled sarcastically at our medic, "Oh yay, now we can make up for lost time."

Ratchet didn't answer and opened the Groundbridge instead. I hope Carly doesn't mind that I'm leaving her suddenly. I stopped and looked at Bumblebee, "Keep an eye on Carly, okay?"

"Any day now, 'Swept," Ratchet huffed.

I just rolled my eyes and wandered after the elder Autobots.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S** **P.O.V**

"OK, chief. So what's on the activity's list?" Jack asked his guardian casually once the Groundbridge closed.

"I'm going on patrol," Arcee decided, ignoring her charge.

"But Optimus told us to stay," Bulkhead protested.

"When you're in charge, you can call the shots," Arcee shot back, "Bee, with me."

Bumblebee looked down at his new charge, whirring sadly as he joined Arcee at the exit of the base.

"Bulkhead, you're in charge," Arcee decided, patting him on the wrist. Without looking back, she and Bumblebee transformed and drove away to patrol.

"So, uh…what's on the activity's list?" Bulkhead asked nervously.

Before anyone had time to answer, the sound of Miko plugging her guitar in the amplifier and adjusting its settings rang out into the room, forcing each of the humans, and Bulkhead himself, to cringe and cover their ears at the noise.

"How about band practice?" Miko suggested

"Oh, please no!" Carly instantly declined.

"We're not a band," Raf objected, siding with his sister.

"Why so anti-social? Come on, Raf! Can you play anything?" Miko asked him.

"Um…keyboard," Raf answered with an unsure tone, holding his laptop up.

"Laptops and symbols. Good. Jack?" Miko turned her attention to the boy.

"I sometimes mess around with the harmonica," Jack confessed sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"T-That's cool," Carly complimented with a shy smile.

Jack smiled back before Miko began yelling at him, "Do I look like I do country?! Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming."

"Uhhhhh..."

Then Miko looked up at her friend, "Hey Carly..."

"What?"

"Can you do me a tiny little favour?" Miko asked sweetly.

Carly hummed sarcastically, "Hmmm, let me think about it…NO!"

"Aww please!" Miko pleaded as Carly wandered down the stairs.

"Fine. If it shuts you up," Carly sighed, joining the three.

Miko then picked up her guitar and looked at Bulkhead, "Bulkhead, percussion! We'll go for big industrial sound! D.I.Y, we're a band! You just gotta learn the songs. This one's a ballad: My Fist, Your Face!"

The exchange student began strumming her guitar, an action that no one approved of. Everyone covered their ears to block out the noise she was playing.

"Does she always play like this?!" Jack asked, yelling over the noise.

Carly just shook her head, "You have no idea!"

Fortunately and unfortunately for them, the green alarms sounded.

"Whoa! Whoa, whoa!" Bulkhead shouted, stopping Miko from playing.

Miko pouted, "Come on! You can't handle raw power?!"

"Proximity sensor! Quick, hide!" Bulkhead instructed, "Now!"

With nowhere to go, Jack, Carly, Miko and Raf hid behind Bulkhead's giant foot. Carly face-palmed when she saw that her friend had brought her guitar...that was still connected to the amp in view. She went to pull the guitar out of her best friend's grasp, but that was when Agent Fowler appeared.

"PRIME!"

"Agent Fowler! He's…uh, he's not here. Nobody's here! Well… except for me, of course," Bulkhead stuttered.

"Well, where did he go? Wait. Don't tell me. He's out pancaking a mini-mall!" Fowler guessed sarcastically, "Now I don't know what language you bots speak on your planet. But Prime promised he would handle the Decepticons!"

As the Agent continued his babbling, Bulkhead was trying his best to hide his new humans friends while not making a big deal about it. What wasn't helping was the cord Miko's guitar and the amp stetching to its' absolute limit.

"And blowing a crate in the middle of Nebraska is NOT what the world 'handle' means in English! So you tell Prime-!" Fowler trailed off when he saw the cord connected to the amp and found it connecting to something behind Bulkhead. He also spotted the laptop too. And once he started hearing guitar noises, he asked, "Since when are you bots electric?"

Bulkhead's eyes widened as he realised he had been caught. Making it easier for him, the humans wandered out from behind the Autobot, shocking Agent Fowler.

"Hey, how you doing?" Jack greeted nervously.

Fowler was nowhere near impressed, "Contact with civilians! Team Prime has really gone off-book this time! Wait. Don't tell me. You're running a day-care center!"

"Uh, we're interns!" Carly insisted.

Raf quickly corrected his sister, "Student interns!"

Jack nodded, "Earning extra credit in auto-shop."

"Robotics!" Miko finished.

"OK. Let's move. I'm taking all four of you to federal custody. For your own protection," Fowler decided as he began approaching the new visitors.

Bulkhead wasn't not going to allow it and put his foot down literally, separating Fowler from the kids, "We're protecting them!"

"Is that so? Well, maybe you can explain that to my superiors at the Pentagon!" Fowler challenged as he picked up the phone and began dialling the necessary number.

"Don't use that phone! It's..." Bulkhead trailed off as he broke the phone Fowler was about to use, "Out of order."

"This isn't over, big foot! Not by a long shot!" Fowler swore as he began walking up the stairs, causing Miko to roll her eyes and mimic the words said by the threatening agent.

In anger and determination, Agent Fowler stomped over to the elevator, pressed a button and allowed the doors to slam shut behind him.

"Man, what a jerk," Carly muttered before walking over to the amplifier connecting to Miko's guitar.

Miko spotted her close friend and sensed what she was about to do, racing after her, "Don't you dare unplug my guitar!"

Bulkhead only let out a sigh. However, he was unsure of whether it was in relief or in worry over what was going to happen to the humans now that the Agent was aware of their knowledge of the Autobots.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The fog surrounding us was kind of like the fog that threatened to choke you to death. You know, like those really thick as fogs that could wrap around your neck and just strangle you on the spot? Yeah, kinda like that.

Sometimes I would slow my pace to walk behind Optimus and Ratchet just to make sure that nothing was around my neck before I would jog back up, telling them that I keeping a look out for a noise I heard.

"Optimus, what do we hope to find here?" Ratchet asked his old friend after a long period of silence.

"The sight of the largest Cybertronian battlefield in this galaxy," Optimus answered.

"On Earth? You must be joking!" Ratchet scoffed.

"Optimus isn't joking, Ratch. I remember later in the war when we and the Decepticons started hiding their Energon rations elsewhere," I recalled, looking at Ratchet, "Come on, Doc! You're old enough the remember that, right?"

"Of course I know! It's the reason Energon deposits EXIST on planets such as this one," Ratchet growled at me in answer, "And for your information, I am NOT that old."

"It is also the reason battles came to be waged on planets such as this one. And I fear Megatron's memory is as long as history," Optimus interrupted the little squabble between Ratchet and I.

An icy cold wave washed over me as we continued our journey. Something told me that things weren't quite right. But I didn't wanna let Optimus and Ratchet know as I didn't want them to worry about me. They do enough of that already.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Agent Fowler was angry…angry at the Autobots for endangering four harmless humans. He knew something had to be done about it, which was why he was starting up his helicopter. Once it was good to go, he piloted the helicopter away from the Autobot base.

"Sir, Agent Fowler. We have a situation. I'm en route from the Autobot base. I'll brief you in person," Fowler spoke into his radio, continuing his journey to meet with his boss.

Little did he know that someone was recording everything that he said...

* * *

" _ **Agent Fowler. I'm en route from the Autobot base. I'll brief you in person.**_ "

"Autobot base, huh?" Rebecca smirked, looking at the silent Decepticon with a proud look.

"Humans, always the weak link. Fetch us this _Fowler_ so that he may brief us _instead_ ," Starscream instructed.

Soundwave didn't argue or say anything. The silent mech only detached his mini-con friend Laserbeak from his chest, who began to fly away in search of the Agent.

* * *

Agent Fowler continued his journey, sitting comfortably, and most definitely, safely in his helicopter. It would be a long time before he would brief his superiors about the recent developments at the Autobot base. After all, this is Jasper, Nevada. Jasper's a little too small to house some serious boss and superiors like the ones he was currently working with.

Suddenly, his alarms started going off on the small monitor beside him, flashing urgently to get the dark-skinned man's attention. He looked down at it quickly.

Something was coming.

"Hey big bird, I'm flying here!" Fowler grumbled. Before the Agent could do anything, the flying mini-Decepticon known as Laserbeak came into his view, approaching him at rapid speeds. "What in Uncle Sam's beard?!" Seeing that the little min-con not getting out of his way, the Agent took evasive action, barely avoiding Laserbeak. "First the freeway's not safe! Now air travel?"

The Agent continued flying in an attempt to out fly the Decepticon, but with the little piece of scrap right on the Agent's tail, it was going to be very difficult to do that. And it didn't help that Decepticons have been flying longer than before the Agent even existed. So, of course, he needed some sort of miracle to get away from this Decepticon.

But Agent Fowler was not one to give up without a brutal fight.

However, when he realised he was coming across a dead end of the canyon he was flying in, he knew that now was the time to start bringing all that flight training that was required of him in order to become an Agent into play. He pulled up just in time to avoid the collision, hoping that the Decepticon would realise too late.

But this little Decepticon wasn't as dumb as the Agent thought, also taking up the same path as the human and continuing to stay right on his tail.

Seeing the little Decepticon behind him with a smirk, Agent Fowler suddenly pulled back and underneath the little mini-con, allowing him to now fly **behind** the it.

"You wanna dance, 'Con? I'll lead!" Fowler smirked.

Pressing a button, the Agent started firing shots at Laserbeak in an attempt to slow down or even damage the mini-con. But, of course, this a Decepticon that he's fighting. All those little bullets that Fowler's firing wouldn't do a single thing except bounce off the mini-cons armour.

As the duo continued flying, Agent Fowler continued shooting at the little Decepticon until he ran out of bullets. Taking advantage of the situation, Laserbeak performed a similar move the human pulled on him only a minute ago. But instead of landing back behind him, the mini-con took a shortcut and sawed the tail of Fowler's helicopter off.

Without the support to keep his helicopter flying, the Agent lost control of the aerial vehicle, beginning his descent to the ground and oncoming collision.

"Never an Autobot around when you actually need one!" Fowler remarked as he attempted to regain control of the helicopter to no avail, gritting his teeth together and trying to ignore the continuous beeping from the monitor.

Now knowing that his attempts were not going to do much good, he began reaching out to the big red button near the controls.

Most of the time, a big red button would normally would be a bad thing to touch. But in this case, pressing that button would send out a distress signal to the Autobots, who would know immediately that something was wrong with Agent Fowler. So, it would probably be good thing to touch the big red button.

Before the Agent could press it, something landed onto the helicopter. Looking out the windscreen, a claw that could only be connected to Laserbeak appeared into view, charging through the glass that was keeping the claw and Agent Fowler apart.

He tried as hard as he could to not let the claws grab a hold of him and kept his focus on trying to press the red flashing button. But he was fighting a losing battle and eventually, Laserbeak's claws gained a hold on both the Agent's arms and began pulling the man out from the falling helicopter, but not before he was able to finally press that big red button.

Agent Fowler began fighting the claws at first, seeing if there was anyway that he could escape. But when the helicopter below exploded in a splash of dark gray smoke and orange flames, he knew he couldn't fight anymore. Instead, he allowed the mini-con to fly him to the Decepticon Warship.

If he didn't think he was in trouble before, he knew well enough now he was in more than just trouble.

* * *

"So, anyone wanna play a game?" Carly asked, earning weird looks from the group at base, "What?"

"A game? What are we? Five?" Miko asked bizarrely.

"Well we may as well do something!" Carly argued. Taking a breath, she spoke with a softer tone, "Can't stop thinking about Fowler and what's gonna happen to us when he reaches where ever he's going."

"You think we're gonna be in so much trouble?" Raf asked.

"Shouldn't be too bad right?" Jack asked, "We barely know these guys. And the sooner we get outta here, the better right?"

"You still wanna leave?!" Miko screeched.

Jack didn't have a chance to answer as the alarm sounded off in the base once again.

"My ears!" Raf yelled in pain, covering his ears.

"It's an SOS. From Fowler," Bulkhead read before staring at the control panel, "Uh…" He began to push some commands on the control pad, unsure of what he was doing. Not like he was going to tell his new human friends that. He eventually pressed a button that stopped the alarms from flashing.

"Did you trace it?" Raf asked worriedly.

"Location scan was incomplete," Bulkhead announced, "Oh well."

"Oh well? Seriously?" Jack scoffed in disbelief.

"Like Carly said before, Fowler's a jerk!" Bulkhead retorted.

"Just because I said it, doesn't mean I wanted him to be possibly taken by the Decepticons!" Carly argued.

"And Agent Fowler knows your location!" Raf piped in before shuddering a little, "OUR location!"

"And did we not witness how fast Fowler backs down from a bot? The 'Cons will totally make him squeal!" Miko added.

"But we lost the transmission!" Bulkhead pointed out, "Fowler could be anywhere!"

"Maybe we can narrow it down," Carly suggested as Rafael grabbed his laptop out of his bag.

"About five years ago, the government started micro-chipping their agents. You know, like owners do with pets," Raf explained as he and Carly began their work.

The rest of the group looked at them with weird looks.

"What? We saw it on TV!" Carly protested.

"Such a nerd..." Miko rolled her eyes at her friend, earning a glare in response from the Esquivel.

"If I can hack into the fed's mainframe, maybe I can pinpoint Fowler's coordinates," Raf believed.

"You know how to hack? But you're, like…2 years old!" Miko told him.

Raf corrected his sister's friend with a smirk, "Miko, you of all of my sister's friends should know that I'm 12…and a quarter."

"Always so specific about your age," Carly shook her head with a laugh.

* * *

"Is the Agent ready for us to greet him yet?" Rebecca asked impatiently for what Starscream deemed as the millionth time.

Inside the Decepticon warship, the pair watched their Vehicon slaves drag the Autobot liaison into the room. Once a safe distance inside, the Agent was chucked onto the ground like a piece of rubbish.

Rebecca wandered up to the dark-skinned man, raising her arms around in a welcoming manner, "Welcome Agent Fowler."

"You treat all your guests this nice?" Fowler asked with a smirk.

"Any friend of the Autobots," Starscream chuckled, turning around to get a look at the man.

"Is an friend of ours," Rebecca finished with a sweet and sarcastic tone.

"Autobots? That one of them coin-operated 'Wash-My-Own-Car' places?" Fowler asked as if he had no idea who or what the Autobots were as part of his job as an undercover agent.

"Oh, so that's how it's going to be, hmm?" Starscream asked, "Apparently, no one has told you that we have no appreciation for human humor."

"Make our guest comfortable," Rebecca instructed, "He's gonna be here for a while." With a small smirk, she and Starscream walked away, leaving the man with the Vehicons.

* * *

"Latitude: 39.5. Longitude: 116.9," Raf read the coordinates.

Bulkhead typed the commands for the Groundbridge. He turned to the children as the portal came to life, "Alright. You four stay put."

Miko moaned in disappointment, "Aww! Don't break up the band!"

Bulkhead nervously looked behind him at the humans, "Uhhhh Jack, you're in charge!"

As the Autobot left, Jack looked down at Raf, "Guess us four have the run of the place?" Jack looked around before noticing that two certain people were gone as well, "Miko? Carly?"

* * *

When Bulkhead arrived at the location the Groundbridge had sent him to, the first thing he knew he had to do was immediately search for the Agent, "Fowler?!" Then he looked up and saw something he knew wasn't a good sign. "Uh-oh." Resting right before him was the Decepticon Warship. "The whole Decepticon sh-bang."

Seeing a few Vehicons wandering around with their weapons activated, Bulkhead knew that in order to not get caught, he had to hide quickly. He ran behind a larger rock formation, watching one of the Vehicons walk past him, looking for any kind of trouble.

"Alright!"

"What's the plan, chief?"

Bulkhead's audio receptors twitched at the familiar voices of two human females. He looked behind him and found the girls grinning from ear to ear, Miko holding her thumbs up in excitement. He quickly made signals for the girls to be quiet, "Miko! Carly!"

His warnings to them came too late as one of the Vehicons guarding the ship noticed the human girls presence. He began approaching the rock the girls were hiding behind, aiming his weapon at them.

"Still think this was a good idea?!" Carly hissed at her friend.

"Maybe an unwise one?" Miko shrugged.

"GIRLS! GET DOWN!" Bulkhead cried, fearing for their safety. If anything happened to them, he wasn't going to be the only one angry at himself.

The girls instead jumped over the rock they were hiding behind and began running as the Decepticon fired and missed. The Vehicon prepared to fire once more, and he would've done so had Bulkhead not appeared out of nowhere and tackled him. Now on the ground, the two enemies began beating the scrap out of each other before the Autobot gained the upper hand and pinned the Decepticon on the ground.

"Hold him still!" Miko told her Autobot friend as she picked up a rock with some struggle and used it to hit the Decepticon.

Carly just sighed and face-palmed as Miko's attempt to beat the Decepticon failed, "I love how much you try, Miko. Honestly I do."

The Japanese exchange student shrugged and grinned at her friend. Next thing she knew, she was standing beside Carly. She looked up at Bulkhead who looked like he was about to end the Decepticon.

"Look away!" Bulkhead instructed.

"But!" Miko and Carly started to argue

"Turn your heads away!" Bulkhead growled.

The humans did the opposite thing and watched in pure admiration as Bulkhead used his bare hands to rip out the Decepticons' wiring in his chest, sparking as his lights faded out. The girls gasped, their eyes locked to the wiring that was now on the ground beside the Decepticon.

All of a sudden, Bulkhead had scooped them up near close to his chassis. The green mech began shooting at his enemies with the other hand as he talked into his com-link.

* * *

" _ **Arcee, Bumblebee, do you read?**_ "

"Loud and clear, Bulkhead," Arcee answered quickly, continuing her drive on patrol with her partner Bumblebee.

* * *

"I have a situation," Bulkhead sing-songed nervously, holding Miko and Carly close to him and hiding behind the rock formation he was hiding behind before.

Carly looked up at the Autobot for a moment before looking at her friend, "So, you still having fun?"

Miko grinned, "Heck yeah I am!"

Carly only rolled her eyes at the response, "Wonderful." It wasn't the answer she wanted to hear.

* * *

"Bulkhead, they're children! Humans! Just do whatever!" Arcee sighed.

The blue Autobot then allowed her teammate to explain the situation he was currently in. He even included the juicy details about where exactly his charge and his charge's friend were too. That forced Arcee to skid to a halt and Bumblebee to follow suit.

Let's just say that Arcee didn't take the situation Bulkhead explained to her lightly.

"You're WHERE? The girls ARE where?"

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Autobot base, Jack and Raf just starred at the Groundbridge and waited. They were waiting for Miko and Carly to magically return from wherever Bulkhead had bridged to find Agent Fowler.

But the longer they waited around for the girls, the more reality sunk in.

"What should we do? Bulkhead may not even realize that Miko and Carly had followed him!" Raf exclaimed in worry.

"Miko and Carly haven't seen the 'Cons in action like we have," Jack added, "They have no idea."

Raf ran over to the computer screens that were at his level, typing furiously

"These are the coordinates! The destination is still locked in!" Raf told the older boy.

Jack looked away from Raf and at the Groundbridge for a moment. Sighing, he looked back at the younger boy in a panic, "You're in charge."

"In charge of WHO?!" Raf yelled once more before pressing a key on the keyboard, activating the Groundbridge.

As Jack continued walking into the Groundbridge tunnel, Raf began racing down the steps to catch up to the teenager. No one leaves Rafael Esquivel behind. He was already both mad at and worried for his sister for leaving him behind.

Jack paused, allowing Raf to catch up to him. Exchanging a determined look as the Groundbridge swirled to life, they walked through…

...Just as Arcee was radioing into base.

" _ **Arcee to base. Come in. Jack? Listen up. We need you to bridge us back. Hello?**_ "

* * *

After contacting the Autobot base through the comlink to no avail, Arcee sighed, "Bumblebee, metal to the pedal."

Bumblebee didn't need to be told twice. The scout sped alongside his teammate after she performed a had to go as fast as they could. For Miko and Carly to be out on the battlefield with Bulkhead was problematic enough, but for no one to reply at Autobot base, despite the strong chance that Jack and Raf should've still been at the base, was even worse.

Their only hope was that their newfound friends weren't already in any trouble or danger.

* * *

Fowler looked up when he heard Starscream and Rebecca entered the room. Courtesy of the Vehicon slaves, the agent was now chained up a decent height off the ground. While his eye adjust to the newest arrivals, he quickly noticed something different about Rebecca.

She was floating in mid-air.

The dark-skinned man nearly gasped in disbelief of how she was able to be doing so. Then he saw her feet strapped into a pair of shoes connected to a board below her, allowing her to stay afloat.

Agent Fowler couldn't believe it. How could the Decepticons be able to create such technology like that? Hoverboards didn't even exist in his world yet!

"Agent Fowler, we have one simple request that will save your family from the pain of grieving," Starscream stated.

Behind him, Rebecca held up a dangerous weapon in her hands. However, because the Cybertronian was in Agent Fowler's eye-line, he couldn't see what exactly the human was holding.

Holding up the Agent's chin with one claw, Starscream asked the question he's been dying to ask since the human arrived, "Tell us the location of the Autobot base."

"No problem," Fowler shrugged, "But I need to ask you something first."

Bored, Rebecca waved the weapon in Fowler's direction, "Go on."

"I've got an issue with the customer service around here. Can I speak to the manager?" Fowler asked innocently

"I make the decisions around here! I'm in charge!" Starscream exclaimed in frustration before turning to Rebecca, "Do you have the prod on you?"

Rebecca's answer was to simply hold out the prod in her partner's direction with a small smirk.

* * *

"What's taking Arcee and Bumblebee?" Bulkhead moaned in frustration as he waited patiently for the duo while keeping an eye on the Decepticon Warship behind him.

"Dude, the 'Cons could be putting the clams on Fowler right now!" Miko yelled, "Let's just storm the joint!"

"Ain't that a good idea," Carly rolled her eyes.

The familiar sound of a Groundbridge swirling to life caught their attention. Bulkhead sighed in relief, ""They're here."

However, The Autobot was disappointed to learn that the people who stepped out of the Groundbridge was not who he was expecting. Instead, Jack and Rafael leaped out looking a little green. Miko was also a little disappointed, crossing her arms "Why don't those guys hang with their own bots? This is OUR one-on-one time!"

"What about Carly?" Bulkhead asked.

"I'll let it slide. She's my best friend AND her guardian is out probably beating the scrap outta more Con's!"

Bulkhead only sighed at the response he was given.

Meanwhile, Raf looked up at Jack nervously, rubbing his front, "Whoa, are your bones vibrating?"

Jack only rubbed the back of his head shrugged in response as the two boys continuing walking in search for their friends. Then the two paused in their tracks at the sight ahead of them.

The one and only Decepticon Warship.

"You there!" High above on the top of the Warship stood three Vehicons, each of them spotting the human boys down below on the ground. Charging their blasters, they pointed them at the boys.

"Scrap!" Bulkhead, Miko and Carly swore when they saw the scene unfold before them.

* * *

"Look, we're gonna ask one last time," Rebecca calmly said before shoving her face into the agent's view, "The Autobot base?! NOW!"

"Sure thing, buddy. Right after you eat my star-bangled shorts!" Fowler retorted.

Rebecca hummed, allowing the prod she's been holding in her hands for some time to charge up, "Mmmmm, so that's how you wanna play." Without another word, she struck the human with the prod, sending electrical jolts into him.

"As you previously imagined, Energon and human nervous systems don't mix," Starscream confirmed, looking at the now smiling teenager.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I sighed as we continued our journey. I was becoming tired of walking for whatever we were looking for. At this point, I could barely remember. I just wanted to go home and rest my poor feet!

Optimus and Ratchet suddenly paused, allowing me the chance to bend down for a moment and rub my lower ankles in pain.

"For the first time in my life Optimus, I had hoped that you were wrong," Ratchet confessed suddenly.

I looked around and took in the sight. I think this was the location of one of the biggest battles on Earth during our war. Dead Cybertronian bodies, most of them in pieces, rested before us. Ratchet looked a little panicked. I was gonna make a cheeky comment before we heard the sounds of jets flying above us. Looking up, I recognised who they were. They landed on a rock high above us and transformed themselves.

Megatron and Slipstream.

Megatron had finally returned.

Instantly, I noticed something different about Megatron. His eyes were purple. Now not purple like mine; mine have been purple from the day I was born. But that particular bright purple sent chills down my spine.

Dark Energon.

"Optimus! Been well?" Megatron greeted, "I see you brought your trusty watchdog. I was certain he'd be convulsing in a scrap yard by now."

"Why don't you invite him down here for a chat?" Ratchet suggested as he punched his fist into his servo and began walking slowly.

"Windswept," Slipstream sneered, "I would've thought you would've been going around and finding something else to do considering you can't beat me at anything."

I cocked my head from side to side and activated my blaster, punching the side of it into my empty hand and joining Ratchet, "Oh no, Slipstream, I'm gonna keep fighting you until all that Energon inside of you runs dry."

"I know why you're here, Megatron," Optimus proclaimed.

"Hardly a surprise, Optimus. After all, you and I have been at this for a long time. And your time has come to an end," Megatron decided, pulling out a glowing shard of Dark Energon for the three of us to see.

He threw the shard to the ground in front of us where it disappeared below the surface. At first, we were nothing but silent as we waited to see what it would do. Suddenly, the ground started to show cracks, glowing a burning purple. I gasped as I watched Megatron stab himself with Dark Energon, now possessing himself with limitless power.

I looked at the purple and blue Decepticon beside him, grinning either because she enjoyed watching the scene unfold or to hide the hesitance I could see in her optics. Slipstream couldn't handle the power of Dark Energon. I was aware of that and have been for a long time. Her body can't handle it. The reasons why that was I'll never know. But since she's unable to take in its' power, guess who was taking it for her?

"Rise our army!" Megatron and Slipstream commanded.

Megatron's circuits began glowing the same burning purple that was in the ground. I almost leaped in surprised as many dead-now-undead Cybertronians rose up from the cracks in the ground.

Ratchet and I gasped, "By the AllSpark."

I came to the conclusion that the shard Megatron threw had seeped its way into many corpses buried in the ground and awakened them. Waves and waves of soldiers continued to rise.

"Behold the power of Dark Energon!" Megatron announced.

The army summoned by Megatron approached us. I looked at Optimus with a freaked out look on my face. He knew why I was so panicked. Those mindless beasts has one instinct inside of them: destroy anything in its path. And right now, the only 'Bots standing in the way of these deranged Cybertronians were…

Us.

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

So that's it from me for now. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next one. I know I take a while to post these chapters, but I take my time to make sure I get every detail right, even if some people have their different views.

I had always wanted to write my own rewrite of this series and I even tried to do so once. But my writing at the time was really bad (Check out my first story 'The Hidden Stalker' for an idea on just how bad my writing was). I rewrote the series I had written, but I still felt really unhappy with it. So third time's the charm hopefully.

A little follow/favourite/review can't cause too much trouble, but just in case, I won't promise that it won't. ;)

Thank you for reading.

( **Last updated: 11/07/2019** )


	4. Chpt 4: Darkness Rising Part 4

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

Before I get into things, I just want to thank you if you are currently reading this chapter. I know, I know, it's been a few months since the last update, but when I had initially planned to update just a few weeks ago, things went wrong at school so I had to concentrate on myself and those issues. Now that I feel like I'm back on track for the moment, I thought I better spit out a chapter of this before the school holidays.

Speaking of holidays, happy Easter to those who celebrate it.

And speaking of thanking people, thank you to Auguste The Clown and tfandanimefan for favouriting this story as well.

On with the show!

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept, Carly Esquivel and Rebecca Rose belong to me.

(Windswept's P.O.V after recap)

* * *

 _ *** Show the Decepticon Warship fly into view. ***_

 **Previously on Transformers Prime…**

 _ *** Show Megatron starring at the holding compartment of Dark Energon as Slipstream, Starscream and Rebecca take steps towards him. ***_

 _ **Megatron: "It's as if the Blood of Unicron the Destroyer flows through my veins."**_

 _ *** Show Megatron and Slipstream taking off from the top of the Nemesis. ***_

 _ *** Show the destroyed and reanimated tool attack Ratchet before going to attack Windswept and Carly. ***_

 _ *** Show Optimus destroying the creature with a blaster shot. ***_

 _ **Ratchet: "Dark Energon? It's so scarce as to be virtually non-existent!"**_

 _ *** Show Agent Fowler walking into the base from the elevator. ***_

 _ **Agent Fowler: "Contact with civilians!"**_

 _ *** Show Bulkhead putting his foot down between Agent Fowler and the humans. ***_

 _ **Bulkhead: "We're protecting them!"**_

 _ *** Show Soundwave deploying Laserbeak. ***_

 _ *** Show Laserbeak attacking and kidnapping Agent Fowler. ***_

 _ **Starscream: "Fetch us this Fowler. Tell me the location of the Autobot base."**_

 _ *** Show Bulkhead racing through the Groundbridge. ***_

 _ **Bulkhead: "It's an SOS!"**_

 _ *** Show Bulkhead looking behind him at the resting Decepticon Warship. ***_

 _ *** Show Jack and Raf appearing from the Groundbridge. ***_

 _ *** Show a Vehicon activate their blaster and point it at the enemy. ***_

 _ *** Show Bulkhead, Miko and Carly with panicked faces. ***_

 _ **Bulkhead, Miko and Carly: "Scrap!"**_

 _ *** Show Megatron throwing his hands in the air. ***_

 _ **Megatron and Slipstream: "Rise, our army!"**_

 _ *** Show the ground shaking and the colour purple seeping through the cracks**_

 _ **Megatron: "Behold the power of Dark Energon!"**_

 _ *** Show the undead Cybertronians coming to life because of the Dark Energon, their bodies glowing purple and groaning like zombies. ***_

The now undead Cybertronians continued to rise around us. My insides began churning. How are we gonna be able to kill a bunch of revived Cybertronians that were already dead in the first place?!

"Megatron has desecrated the resting place of our fallen ancestors." Ratchet proclaimed, taking a few steps back, "And his own."

"Not even the dead are free from his warmongering," Optimus sighed.

"No one is!" I shrieked.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Slipstream looked up at the glowing Megatron, seeing him grin with glee over the power he now had over his undead army.

"At last. Symbiosis. I can feel it," Megatron purred, glancing at his SIC, "I possess complete control over my army." He looked down at his army, gearing up for the battle between them and his enemies. "Destroy them!"

Slipstream bit her lip at the amount of power her leader now had. Was Megatron still even Megatron?

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Optimus wunfolded his cannons. I was confused until I realised that the undead were a little bit closer than before. Spark beating at about a million miles per minute, I activated my weapons and began aiming and hitting anything in sight.

I was well aware of the fact that we were stepping backwards ever so slowly, trying to keep the distance between us and the Terracons.

Ratchet grabbed my shaking arms, trying to help my aim as he spoke, "Optimus, if our combatants are already deceased, how can we possibly defeat them?"

My aim steadied slightly as I managed to knock back a few of our enemies. I don't know why I was so freaked over these undead Cybertronians. Guess it was 'cause I was worried about one of my lost friends being one of them.

"Ratchet! Retreat! Bridge yourself back to base!" Optimus instructed the medic.

"No! I shall stand with you, Optimus!" Ratchet decided as he unfolded his blades from his arms, walking to our side "You may require a medic when this is all over with."

Before Optimus could argue with our dear medic, Ratchet charged towards the Terracons, already slicing at the undead. Optimus and I quickly joined him, me using one blaster and one small sword I could activate from my hand. I used one of each to see which one would be better. Ratchet and I discovered that as we fought them with our swords, they fell into pieces, dead.

Permanently.

"I recommend dissection!" Ratchet advised.

"The smaller the pieces, the better," I realised.

"Sound advice, old friend," Optimus complimented before trading his blaster cannons for his blades.

As soon as Optimus had switched, he charged at the Terracons and found the advice we gave him to be a good thing. Ratchet and I joined him in slicing and dicing at the undead immediately, pieces of the once whole Cybertronians flying every which way. We stood together, looking up at the Dark Energon-possessed Megatron

"I have mastered Dark Energon! When you fall Optimus and Windswept, you too shall join my army!" Megatron announced.

I was determined to not allow that to happen, and neither was Optimus. We charged at the undead with Ratchet. We fought harder than normal to stop these Terracons from wreaking havoc upon anywhere else. We wanted to know Megatron and Slipstream's plan. And destroying each and everyone of these Terracons was the only way we were going to get to them.

Slipstream just smirked and watched us fight. She may not have taken the Dark Energon, but I knew why she was here. She was making sure Megatron wasn't gonna go overboard. I could sense the interesting bond between him and her. But I knew it was because Megatron was after me just as much as he was Optimus. And for some reason, I had a feeling that part of my history was part of the reason why.

* * *

 **NO ONES P.O.V**

Decepticons continued to fire shots at Jack and Raf, who were barely avoiding them. Carly watched in horror as one of the shots was aiming a little to close to Raf. But relief washed over when the shot missed, intrigued to see Jack protecting the boy with his own body. However, that was all she got to see before Bulkhead transformed, strapping them inside before driving over to the boys.

"Get in! NOW!" Bulkhead instructed as he opened his passenger-side door.

The boys wasted no time, Jack hopping in first, followed by Raf. Once they were safe inside, Bulkhead closed the door and took off to find safety, dodging the raining blaster fire while he was at it.

"Thanks, Bulkhead," Jack panted in thanks.

"Yeah. Thanks," Raf agreed.

"Wh-What are you doing here?!" Bulkhead asked.

"We were worried about Carly and Miko. Have you seen them?" Jack asked worriedly.

"What'd they look like?" Miko and Carly asked as they appeared from the back seat.

"I wish you wouldn't go and do things like that, Carly," Raf told his sister, calming himself like he was about to have a heart-attack.

"Life ain't worth living if you ain't taking the risks it throws at ya!" Carly shrugged.

Finding some cover he knew could protect his new human friends, Bulkhead put the breaks on and opened the door, "Everybody out! And this time, PLEASE wait here!"

Once Bulkhead knew that the humans were out and safe, he drove towards the Decepticon warship and did what Carly said to do - which was to take the risk and find his way into the warship to save the Agent. Jumping into the air, the former Wrecker transformed and secured his grip onto the cliff face he almost crashed into.

The Autobot scaled the formation until he was able to leap upon the ship. As he climbed up onto the top deck of the Warship, one of the drones was in the way. To deal with it, he simply grabbed a hold of the drone and threw him off the deck, watching him make contact with part of the ship before falling further to his death.

Quickly, Bulkhead knew what to do with the drones waiting for him. He tore the head of the first drone off, then used his body as a shield to block the oncoming fire from the other drone while shooting at him. One of his shots managed to hit the drone, flipping him back onto his feet, but severely weakened. Bulkhead took the distraction as his opportunity to run up to his enemy and body-slamming him, knocking the drone out cold.

With the Vehicons taken care of, Bulkhead looked down at where he dropped the humans off and was in shock to discover that some of them were missing.

"Where's Miko and Carly?!"

The Autobot was distracted from his worrying when he heard knocking inside his chest compartment. Opening it, he was shocked to find Miko and Carly hanging their heads out into the open air as they took in massive gulps of oxygen.

"Miko?! Carly?!"

"I heaved on your floor mats," Miko revealed, "Sorry."

"That is the last time you talk me into doing something as stupid as that!" Carly decided when Bulkhead lifted his hand up for his new human friends to climb onto.

He lowered the hand to the ground, the two humans jumping off and making sure that everything was intact.

Miko looked at Carly with a shrug, "Who knew that..." She paused for a moment, taking in a breath from the action that had just occurred. "That was gonna happen?!" Then the girl looked up at her assigned guardian, "Remind me to never do that again."

Before Carly could make a side remark, Bulkhead was tackled by a stray Vehicon. But the Decepticon quickly realised his mistake as the Autobot flipped him over before pounding him into the scrap metal he already was.

At the sound of a door opening and closing, Carly and Miko looked around to find two Vehicons starring down at them. That was when Carly realised that maybe what she and her friend had done was a bit more risky then she would've liked. But before she could do anything, Miko pulled her out of the way as Bulkhead fired at the Decepticons. He picked up a sonar that just so happened to be there and threw it at them. The sonar flew like a boomerang that was not coming back as it knocked each of the Vehicons out.

Thankful for the break he'd been given for the moment, Bulkhead walked up to the girls and allowed them to sit down on his hand to get a break for themselves.

But it wasn't long before more Decepticons appeared and began shooting at them again, much to Bulkhead's distress. Cradling the girls against his chest, he looked around for a place to hide himself and the girls. That was when he spotted the open door the Vehicons left behind and began his race towards it...

* * *

Outside of the Decepticon Warship at ground level, Jack and Raf turned to each other nervously.

"Think they forgot about us?" Raf asked nervously.

Jack only shrugged at the response. But before any of them could do anything, two Decepticon drones approached them behind them.

Gasping in panic, the boys tried to reach out of one of the drones' grasp when he bent down to grab a hold of them.

* * *

Giving one last look at the unconscious Vehicons on the top deck, Bulkhead slammed the door shut, locking himself inside of the Decepticon Warship.

He sprinted as fast he could down the corridor in an attempt to find a safe place for the two humans he was carrying around. Miko, sitting on Bulkhead's hand, looked ready to heave once more, Carly patting her friends back beside her. However, she stopped when she saw more Decepticons turning up. Next thing she knew, she and her friend were being slid across the ground through the Decepticons legs.

When they stopped, Miko got herself up on her hands and knees, "I'm gonna heave again."

Once she saw Bulkhead destroy his enemies, Carly sighed, "Can you hold it in a little longer?"

Before Miko could answer, Bulkhead scooped her and her friend up into his hands and began running once more. He continued to look for a safe place for the girls to stay in. And once he would find that place, he hoped that they would stay there until everything was under control. For some reason though, he doubted it.

Carly looked at her friend, who was looking slightly brighter than she was, "You all good now?"

"Mmmm, I've been better," Miko shrugged in answer, "Ha, remember when you and I broke into the school and tagged the place. That was a good day."

"I'm pretty sure that was you and Amy. And that was Amy that did all the tagging. You just grinned and watched her," Carly corrected her with a laugh, "You still trouble with her though."

"Amy's cool," Miko said, "I wish she could've seen this! She would be loving it just like us!"

Carly sighed, "Yeah...just like us."

* * *

Meanwhile, on a different part of the Nemesis, two Vehicons were walking proudly through the corridor like they had scored a big catch.

And in fact they had.

The Vehicon behind his partner was carrying two certain humans named Jack and Rafael.

"Bring them to the brig. Commander Starscream is keeping the other human there," The first Vehicon told his partner.

The human boys only exchanged a look at the information of where the Agent was currently being held. They knew straight-away that the knowledge could come in handy later.

Before the Vehicons could go much further, the sound of engines interrupted their walk to the brig. Next thing they knew, they were being knocked over by a yellow and black striped Urbana 500... otherwise known as Bumblebee's vehicle form.

As Jack and Raf were flung up into the air, the blue motorcycle form of Arcee leaped over Bumblebee, transformed and landed just in time to catch the boys before they landed on the corridor floor. Arcee planted them on their feet and watched with soft optics as the Urbana 500 transformed and joined them.

"Bumblebee!" Raf greeted with joy.

The yellow and black striped scout beeped and whirred back, bending down to the boys' level and making sure they were both unharmed.

"Appreciate you opening the front door for us. But storming the Decepticon warship was NOT on the activities list."

"Tell me about it," Jack looked at his guardian and shrugged in agreement.

After being filled in about the reasons why Jack and Raf were on the Nemesis in the first place, as well as the S.O.S they received about Agent Fowler, the two Autobots raced down the corridor with their charges in tow, eager to find the Agent and take the humans back to base where they safely belonged.

Arcee paused when the corridor reached its head and split into three different paths. Stopping at a corner, she activated her blaster and prepared herself for anyone waiting at her left.

Taking a deep breath, she spun around the corner only to come face-to-face with a familiar blaster.

"Friendly!" Arcee declared.

"Hello!" Bulkhead greeted.

"Brought the humans, huh?" Arcee asked as the two deactivated their weapons.

"You try getting them to stay behind!" Bulkhead protested quickly.

"We need to find Fowler and get them out of here," Arcee decided.

"Uhhhh." The trio of Autobots, including the two female humans, looked down to Jack and Raf below them, "He's in the brig."

* * *

Agent Fowler continued to hang around in the Decepticon brig. And no, not the 'hang around' like the relaxing kind, but more of the 'I'm actually hanging around because I've been chained up and I'm dangling off the ground' kind of way. The poor Agent had been severely weakened from the torture of the prod Rebecca had struck him with.

He hoped, no, he prayed rather, that the Autobots were on their way to free him from his current torture. But when Starscream made his presence still known to the human, he knew help was still some time away.

"My dear Agent Fowler, you do realize the Autobots have abandoned you." Starscream looked over the human with an evil chuckle, "We are the only ones you can rely upon now."

"So tell us what we want to know. Or else, your scheduled shock therapy appointment continues," Rebecca threatened, holding up the Energon prod.

"Wait. No more." Fowler pleaded almost immediately but weakly, "They're in a secret government base..."

Rebecca widened her eyes with pleasure at finally getting somewhere, "Go on."

But Fowler never got to finish what he started. The sound of gunfire outside the room distracted them, much to Rebecca's growing frustration. Just as she was about to get something out of her enemy, something just _had_ to happen!

Momentarily looking at the Decepticon drones guarding the door, who now had their blasters activated, Starscream decided to ignore the gunfire and instead try to get the Agent to keep talking, "Yes...?"

Now knowing that the Autobots weren't abandoning him, Agent Fowler continued to play his game, "In the old still mill? Or was it under that carnival house?"

Having enough, Rebecca plunged the Energon prod into the agent without any warning. She relished in the sounds of the screaming her enemy was pouring out of his mouth. She growled when she heard the battle outside the room getting closer and closer...

Sensing the girl's frustration, Starscream snapped at the Vehicons just guarding the door, "Someone go and find out what is going on out there!"

The two Decepticon drones ran out of the cell as fast as they could. Starscream turned around and looked at Rebecca. If the superpowered human got any more frustrated, it wouldn't be just the Agent she'd be taking it out on.

* * *

The fight between the Autobots and Decepticons continued through the corridors of the Warship while the four humans watched on, being caught in the middle of the crossfire.

Bulkhead stood in front of them, firing shots at three Vehicons with each shot destroying each enemy easily. On the other side of them, Arcee and Bumblebee fought the Decepticons away from the humans.

Blaster fire was raining everywhere. Vehicon bodies were landing close by.

The sight was becoming too much for Carly, who was getting dizzy from watching the fighting scenes over and over. Her heart-beat was rapidly increasing as she felt herself becoming suffocated from the action. And she was sure that she wasn't the only one who felt that way. The panicking subdued when the remaining Decepticons were finally destroyed and Jack released his grip on her, Miko and Raf.

She began running with her schoolmate, her best friend and her brother following. The Autobots tailed them, looking for a place to stay until the battle was over. And once it would be over, Carly sensed there were going to be some serious words thrown back at base. She didn't just sense it, she could see it happening...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Whenever we took down these flippin' undead Cybertronians, more and more just continued to join onto the back of the pack, slowly making their to the front where we were. And the worst part about this was that we nowhere close enough to even throw a knife at Megatron and Slipstream. I was getting frustrated

I stood with Ratchet and Optimus, who back-to-back behind me, looking weaker than before. Ratchet looked at us, "Optimus, this prolonged exposure to Dark Energon is sapping our strength."

Well, their strength maybe depleting. But mine wasn't; I was ready to continue. I wanted to get to Slipstream and rip her head from her frame now.

"We cannot falter now," Optimus proclaimed and with that, we raced ahead.

The gang of undead Cybertronians continued to grow. Something sharp sawed its way into my leg. Primus, what on Cybertron?!

I dropped to my knees and gasped in pain as I saw a little mini-con digging its little weapon into my leg. I picked it up and sliced it in half. Then my world changed - I was seeing double. The last thing I saw was Optimus becoming overwhelmed by the Terracons. The last thing I heard was Ratchet screaming mine and Optimus' names before I collapsed onto the ground...

* * *

 _Fires were burning higher and higher to the sky. Screams could be heard and blaster fire continued around me. I was searching for someone, I couldn't remember who it was. But it was someone important to me._

 _I was racing through the broken world that was my home. It was falling apart in my hands and there was nothing I could do about it. I was among the many scared for our planet's fate._

 _Suddenly I remembered why I was searching. A rogue bomb had just gone off in the area. And I was searching for my friend, whose frame was decorated with black and orange splashes. Spitfire was one of the first who welcomed me to Iacon. I was close with him. I knew I was going to be so incredibly angry if anything happened to him._

 _I stopped and looked around in search of the familiar paint scheme, "Spitfire!"_

 _I found him a few feet away from me and ran up to his frozen frame lying on the ground. I ducked a few of the blaster shots and slid to his frame. I glanced at his face, grabbing his cheek plates, "Hey? Spitfire! Wake up!"_

 _I looked at his body and that's when I found it. The gaping hole in his chest where his spark chamber would've been._

 _I screamed, "NO! SPITFIRE!"_

* * *

I awoke suddenly, trying to figure out where I was.

Battlefield, Optimus, Ratchet, undead Cybertronians, Megatron, Slipstream...

Dark Energon... Fog...

Terracons were smothering me. I screamed in terror, shooting and slicing whatever was around me.

There were too many of them. Too many piling in. I fell further into the ground, allowing them take me to my impending death.

As I closed my optics, I prepared myself for the final blow ready to come at any minute, or in any second.

Something flashed across the darkness that I could see. A figure of someone. Then another one... and another... and another.

I can't die yet! Not now!

I have to keep fighting! Keep surviving! For Team Prime... for Optimus, Ratchet... for Carly.

I snapped my optics and let out a roar of anger, shooting and slicing the undead Cybertronians that were surrounding me. I wasn't going to allow my fear to control me. I was going to use it to fuel my fire.

I freed myself from the crowd of undead and closed my optics for a moment and reminded myself to save Optimus and Ratchet. They need my help.

I opened my optics again, this time finding Optimus looking down at me. He reached out a servo, a silent request to help me up while still shooting at some of the Terracons with his other servo. I grabbed his servo quickly and let him lift me onto my feet.

A sharp pain shot up my leg, reminding me of the wound I had acquired from that nasty piece of scrap before. I refocused my optics and energy, charging to the pile of Terracons nearby with Optimus. I could see orange and white colours underneath them: Ratchet.

Smashing two Terracons together and destroying them, Optimus helped our medic up, me immediately jumping to his side to keep him balanced.

Okay, maybe the Dark Energon was affecting them more than I realised... And maybe it was affecting me a little bit too. We were all so worn out and tired from the battle.

"After all these years, Optimus, still at the top of your game?" Megatron tormented once more above us.

We couldn't give in. We would not become those who were attacking us under Megatron and Slipstream's watchful optics. We picked ourselves up from the momentary break, we ran, or limped in my case, to the army before us, ready for another round of Terracon smackdown!

"My legion, FINISH THEM!"

As the army of undead Cybertronians continued before us under Megatron's command, we continued slicing and shooting and dicing. Eventually, this army would have to end, right? I mean, how many of those undead Cybertronians were here in the first place? Surely there wouldn't be enough of these Terracons to keep us at bay?

The mountain that Megatron and Slipstream were standing on was starting to edge closer just as I thought about it. I started to smile at the fact.

I'm coming for you, Slipstream. Revenge will be mine...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Are we nearly there?" Carly groaned as she stopped and panted, worn out from running.

As the humans paused to catch their breath, the Autobots knocked on the door of one of the rooms. When the Decepticon on the other side activated the doors to slide open, the trio of Autonomous Robotic Organisms went storming in and begun another attack.

"Do you even know where these guys are even taking us?!" Jack asked Carly in a hiss when he moved beside her.

"Chill pretty boy!" Miko told the boy, who was shocked to be called such a thing. Even Carly stole a glance at her friend like she was crazy, "The 'Bots know what they're doing! Let them deal with it!"

They waited behind their Autobot friends while they took down a couple more Decepticons that were holed up in the computer room

"Clear!" The humans ran in when Arcee signalled them to. She glanced around before looking at the humans, "Wait in here."

" **But...but why?** " Bumblebee questioned quickly.

"They're slowing us down and they're easy targets. They'll be alright in here as long as they STAY PUT." With that said, Arcee activated her blaster and walked out the room. The two male Autobots soon activated their blasters and followed her, the door to the corridor shutting and locking behind them.

"That...was intense," Miko remarked now that the four humans had a chance to just rest and wait for their Autobots to return.

Hopefully with their liaison with them.

"Was?" Raf repeated in disbelief.

"It's your fault that we're stuck in this intensity. What were you and Carly thinking, Miko?" Jack demanded.

"Did we ask you to follow?" Miko asked annoyingly.

"You wanted us to be a band! Doesn't that usually mean playing together?" The boy shot back.

"Well, maybe I decided to go solo!" The Japanese exchange student decided.

The eldest human in the room was getting increasingly frustrated, "Well maybe I have some regard for your safety!"

The girl with the pink streaks in her hair was also feeling the same as her debate opponent, "Oh! I'm sorry! Is your name Optimus? You can leave my protection to Bulkhead! Thank you very much!"

"STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU!" Raf screamed, running away from them and Carly.

Carly, who silent throughout the little argument between Jack and Miko, gave them death glares before racing to her little brother. She placed a hand on his shoulder. The younger boy looked behind him and saw his sister giving him a comforting smile. He twisted around until he was hugging the girl, who was now stroking his hair.

"Shhh, shhh. It's okay, it's okay," She whispered, "We're gonna be okay."

"Yeah. We're gonna be fine," Miko promised, appearing beside Rafael.

"Our bots will come back for us," Jack told him, appearing on the younger boy's other side.

Carly smiled at them before looking back at Rafael, "They're gonna take us home, yeah?"

"How do you know?" the youngest boy asked bitterly when he pulled out of his sister's arms.

Looking away from the siblings and their friend, Jack looked up and found a computer full of nothing but Cybertronian code. A thought come across his mind - if the Esquivel's could understand Bumblebee's speech patterns, then they could understand the gibberish before him right?

"Hey, Raf, Carly; what do you two make of that?"

The siblings looked up at the computer screen with interest, and jumped down the large steps to get a closer look. When they were comfortable, they took in the computer screen, surprising themselves when they realised they could understand some of it. Jack and Miko joined them, attempting to read what their friends could.

"Whatever it is, it's important," Carly told them. She pulled a notepad and a small pen from her pockets and scribbled down the image.

"Really important," Raf nodded.

Miko looked at her best friend in surprise, "Since when do you carry a pen and pad around?"

"Since always, Miko," Carly laughed, "You can never be too organised!"

"Man, you two are weird," Miko muttered.

"Always have been, always will be," The Esquivel's replied back, startling the Japanese exchange student.

* * *

As the blaster fire continued to edge closer and closer to the brig, Starscream started to become desperate, yelling at the poor and slightly unconscious man known as Agent Fowler, "Wake up, you pathetic lump of flesh!"

Fowler moaned and lifted his head up weakly to ask in a disoriented manner, "Grandma? Is it Cookie time?" Before either Decepticon could answer, the man drifted off into the world of unconsciousness.

Rebecca growled, slamming the prod onto the ground in frustration. She didn't have time for this. When things were planned, they were supposed to go ahead without a glitch. And when things didn't go the way SHE wanted them to, well, she would take her frustrations out elsewhere.

Starscream wasn't impressed by her little tantrum, "Rebecca!"

The girl turned around at her name, "What?!"

The silver and red Decepticon went to show her the prod, now in pieces on the ground...

 _KNOCK! KNOCK!_

Starscream looked behind him at the door, angry about the interruption. He went to look at Rebecca only to find she had disappeared. Suddenly, a flash of red appeared in front of him, the mech screaming his surprise.

"Go and find out who it is!"

Frightened, Starscream ran to the door before the superpowered human could slit his throat with one of her boomerangs. The door automatically opened, revealing a Vehicon standing lifelessly before the puzzled seeker, "Well?"

Everything happened at once. The Decepticon fell to the floor, revealing the bulky green Autobot Bulkhead. His blaster weapons shot at the other Vehicon in the room. He and Bumblebee jumped into the room, the latter also with his weapons activated.

"Big mistake!" Rebecca whispered threateningly. She held out her boomerangs, ready to throw one at the Agent and another at one of her enemies.

Starscream held out his missiles, ready to also strike at Fowler. A tap on his head caused him to look up. The blue form of Arcee was balancing on a shaft right above him, her blaster pointed directly at him with a threatening look on her face plates.

If this was what she looked like when she was rescuing a simple human, Starscream hated to see what she would look like when she discovered that her weapon was pointing to the same person that had just killed her partner only a few days ago.

"I wouldn't," Arcee threatened.

"Oh, but we might," Starscream sneered.

Nothing happened. In silence, they waited for someone to make the first move...

* * *

"We gotta get this to Optimus," Raf told his friends after further examining the screen containing an image of alien plans only their Cybertronian friends could understand.

"How do you know it isn't just a recipe for space nachos?" Miko questioned.

Carly rolled her eyes, "Not helping, Miko." She was still sketching the image on the computer screen. But it was hard when the notepad was leaning up against her leg, which wasn't a hard surface, but a squishy-like surface.

Guess that was why Ratchet said that if anyone were to step on them, they'd go squish.

"Where's Amy when I need her?! She'd be able to draw this, no problem," the teenager sighed to herself.

"Carly and I know math when we see it," Raf continued, eyeing the tech carefully. He glanced over at Carly's sketch to get a closer look. "And that is one serious equation."

"Can you..." Jack paused for a moment, trying to come up with the word he was looking for, "Download it?"

A light bulb went off in Carly's head, looking at her little brother, "RAF! Your flash drive!"

"I've got it here with me," Raf realised and pulled it out of his bag. He looked around, "But I don't see anywhere to plug it in. This tech is WAY alien."

His search for a place to plug in his flash drive was interrupted when a Decepticon entered the room. The four humans gasped at the sight of him finding the dead frames of his former team-mates scattered around the room.

Grabbing her little brother, Carly whisper-yelled, "Hide!"

Jack and Miko raced to follow her. And just when they were in a safe place, Raf realised he forgot one very important thing - his backpack. He fought out of his sisters' grip and looked at it in plain sight, knowing that if the Decepticon saw it, there would be chaos. So little Raf took a risk and made the dash after it, and succeeded in being able to grab it. But as he was putting the bag straps over his shoulders, he found the Vehicon looking at him, activating his blaster and aiming for the kill. The boy only gasped in fear.

Sensing something was wrong, Carly widened her eyes at her little brother's frightened face, "RAF!"

* * *

Meanwhile, everything stayed silent. Nobody moved an inch. And that was when Starscream decided to make the call.

"Now, Agent Fowler, Rebecca and I will take our leave-"

"The emu says yeeaaahhh!" Fowler crowed suddenly, still under the effects of the Energon prod..

Or was he really?

Either way, that was when the party began. Blaster shots from Autobots caused Starscream to squeal and dance around to dodge them. Deciding that it was time to retreat, he transformed and took off, his afterburners attacking Arcee on the way out.

"Whoa!" Bulkhead shouted, moving out of the way just in time as the Decepticon took his leave down the corridor.

Rebecca slapped her forehead in embarrassment. Out of all the Decepticons, she just had to choose one that had the behaviour and actions of a little wimpy girl. But, she decided on Starscream's plan of action being the only solution, smirking at the Autobots to gain their attention, "'Til next time, Autobots."

The trio began firing at her, but before each shot could even skim her, her hoverboard had kicked into a new gear. While blaster shots hit the wall the teenager was just standing in front of, Rebecca's hoverboard drove her out of the room and out of sight.

The Autobots didn't worry about either Decepticon. They had completed their objective; rescue Agent Fowler. Their next goal was to grab the rest of the humans and get themselves out of the warship.

That was, if the humans had actually listened to them this time.

* * *

Carly couldn't bare the thought of losing her little brother. She had already lost her older brother due to his own recklessness four years ago. If she were to lose Raf, she would never forgive herself. So while Miko mostly covered her eyes, and Jack contemplated on what to do next, Carly shoved the pen and pad in her pocket and raced out.

Rafael, meanwhile was doing his best to jump and dodge the blaster shots aiming for him. However, when one aimed too close for his liking, he didn't know what to do. But what he did know was that he was never going to find out if he would've been shot when Carly tackled him to the ground and away from the blaster fire.

"Miko! Take a picture!" Jack yelled, running to Carly and Raf's side near one of the dead Vehicons they took shelter from.

Miko beamed, "Oh, great idea!" She pulled out her phone, "Hey, you!" However, she didn't get the message right. Instead of taking a photo of the computer screen that Jack was referring to, she instead took a picture of the Decepticon that looked like he was going to kill someone.

Jack groaned in frustration. Raf just starred at her while keeping an eye on the shooting Vehicon standing ahead of her. And Carly, well, just screamed at her friend.

"NOT OF THAT! THAT!"

Seeing her friend pointing at the computer screen before them, realisation dawned upon Miko, "Ohhhh."

When the photo had been taken, there was only one thing they could do…

Run.

* * *

"GO! GO! GO!" Jack screamed as the four ran out of the room.

However, running away from the Decepticon wasn't going to stop him from targeting his weapon at them. But thankfully for the humans, before he could shoot and kill them, the sound of a tooting horn distracted him. Confused, he looked up to find Bulkhead charging up to him. And that was the last thing he remembered before the former Wrecker tackled and killed him.

The bulky Autobot transformed back into his vehicle form and meet back up with Arcee and Bumblebee. Miko and Raf were piling into the Urbana 500 while Jack and Carly were hopping onto the motorcycle. Once the humans were safe, they took off to get away from the Nemesis.

"I told you to stay put!" Arcee sighed in frustration.

"It's not our fault a Decepticon just happened to waltz on in and started attacking us! I would like to keep my life thank you very much!" Carly snapped. When the people around her went silent, she thinned her lips and looked down, "Sorry. It's been an...interesting day."

"Don't worry about kid," Arcee just shrugged, "You'll get used to it."

Carly just rested her head on Jack's shoulder, unnerving herself when she felt cold waves crash down her spine.

" _ **I like pie. Can we stop for pie?**_ " A dazed Agent Fowler asked through the radio inside Bumblebee.

" _ **You found Fowler! Rock on!**_ " Miko cheered.

"You okay?" Jack asked after a moment of silence.

Carly looked up, "Hmmm? Yeah I guess. Just tired."

The brown-haired girl knew she was lying. She wasn't okay. Inner feelings from a long time ago were floating back to the surface. She wasn't going to deny the fact that when she was younger, she had feelings for Jack. In fact, she had always liked him like that even when she didn't know what feelings like that even meant.

But he always liked Sierra. Sierra this and Sierra that. It drove her insane to hear her friend talk about someone like that. It upset her that Jack liked someone that used to bully and tease Carly about anything possible. And then it got worse when Jack and her argued about Sierra. She tried to make her friend understand why she didn't like Sierra. But when he mentioned something a little close to home, that was when Carly snapped and ended their friendship.

Now that they were here, the teenager was now hoping that they could put behind their argument and repair her friendship with him. But how could she repair it when her feelings for him were starting to reappear once more?

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

We were nearing the end of the undead army Megatron had risen from their graves thanks to the Dark Energon he had somehow found. My head started to spin a little. With only a few Terracons that were easily taken care of by Optimus, I allowed myself to stop and check the wound of my leg.

I groaned tiredly at the sight - there was a massive open stab wound going from below my knee to my ankle. I must be losing a lot of Energon.

I groaned when someone started to help me up - did I start collapsing or something? Ugh. Whoever helped me up put me onto their back and forced arms around their neck.

"Hold tight, 'Swept," A voice whispered to me as I felt them walk to Primus knows where, "I've got you, sweetspark."

"Bravo, Optimus. Though this is just a prelude," I heard Megatron announce.

"You and Windswept may as well save your strength for the main event," Slipstream advised tormentingly.

"You will not prevail, Megatron. Not while Energon still runs through my veins," Optimus panted.

The next thing I knew, I could hear someone scaling some sort of cliff. I hadn't even opened my optics at this point. I think we were standing at the bottom of the cliff Megatron and Sliptream were standing on. I moaned in pain as Ratchet began scaling the cliff. It felt like he was struggling with climbing the cliff - maybe he had an injury.

"Fitting for this Dark Energon that flows through my veins," Megatron remarked.

I looked up to see Optimus take a swipe at Megatron, but the Decepticon jumped back by transforming and flying away. Slipstream caught my optic and smirked before also transforming and disappearing from view.

I rested my head on Ratchet's shoulder, listening to the blaster shots being fired as my medic began getting closer and closer to what was going on. He must have got to the top of the cliff as someone, Optimus maybe, helped him up onto his feet.

I looked over Ratchet's shoulder briefly, seeing the now truly dead Terracons rest in pieces scattered across the battlefield before laying my head back on the orange and white medic's shoulder.

"If this wasn't Megatron's endgame, then what is?" Ratchet asked nervously.

That was the last thing I heard before everything faded away...

* * *

I opened my optics slowly. The dizziness that I felt had gone away, causing me to smile. My optics glanced around, causing me to recognise the walls of the med-bay. Optimus and Ratchet must have managed to return us back to base. I made myself sit up and look around my body. Just a few scratch marks here and there. None of them were patched up... except for a large one my left leg where that little mini-con did the damage. All that from a little piece of scrap?

I shook my head in disbelief.

I could hear talking and the sound of Ratchet's medical tools working outside the med-bay. Curiosity was getting the better of me - I decided to get myself up and see what was going on. Walking with an injury was a lot more difficult than I first thought, but I eventually limped out to the main room.

"Yip, yip, yip, Windswept, what do you think you're doing?"

I looked at Ratchet, who was being tended to by Optimus - I think he was fixing an brace around his arm. Optimus had scars on his body too, but nothing serious.

"Walking around," I simply answered as I limped over to the crates near the control panel. I sat down on them, stretching my leg out. I looked at the medic again, who had a look of discontent as Optimus continued his work, "Now sitting."

Ratchet shook his head as Optimus finished fixing up the brace on his arm. Fiddling with it slightly, he stood to full height and made his way over to the controls, patting my shoulder as he went past.

"Thank you," I whispered to him. He only looked over my shoulder and nodded at me. He didn't need to ask why I said that - he already knew.

Although we had our banter, Ratchet and I go way back to the dark days on Cybertron. He was the reason why I was still alive on some of the worst of those days. I would always be thankful for that.

"So what happened to you guys?" Carly asked, looking at me.

"We engaged an army of undead Cybertronian warriors," Ratchet answered.

"Zombies?!" Miko lightened up at that, "YOU FOUGHT ZOMBIES AND I MISSED IT?"

"Be thankful," I spluttered out, deciding against making a smart-aft comment towards the teenage girl when I looked at my leg.

"Bulkhead, you exercised extremely poor judgement in allowing the humans to accompany you," Optimus stated to his solider.

"It…won't happen again, Optimus. I promise," Bulkhead swore.

"But it wasn't Bulk's fault" Miko interrupted.

As Bulkhead proceeded to shut Miko up, I looked at Arcee.

"What happened?" I asked her through the private comm.

Arcee looked at me and filled me in quickly, " _ **Fowler got taken by the 'Cons after finding out about the humans. Bulkhead went to go deal with them, but Miko and Carly followed him. 'Bee and I were patrolling Jasper when Bulk told us what had happened. By then, Jack and Raf had followed them out too and managed to get themselves taken by the 'Cons, but they found out that Fowler was the brig with Starscream and Rebecca. We meet up, placed the humans somewhere safe and managed to free Fowler.**_ "

I looked over at the Agent, who was resting in a medical human sized berth. Karma can be a pain sometimes...

"And check it out! Recon!" Optimus bent down to look at something on Miko's phone.

After the glance, Optimus looked over at the medic, "Ratchet, have a look. It could be of importance to Megatron."

"Whoa, Megatron's back? That's really bad news, right?" Jack asked.

I only sighed and looked away, "It's more than just 'bad news'."

"I don't understand," Ratchet said in a confusing tone.

Miko looked at the photo before realising something, "Oops. That's the 'Con who tried to blow Raf away. At least, that's what he looked like before Bulkhead rearranged his grill!" The girl cheered as she did some air punches.

"Miko, Raf was almost killed today!" I was surprised at Carly completely losing her cool at her friend.

"This isn't a game! When are you going to get that through your thick skull?" Jack snapped, agreeing with Carly.

"Uh…we were ALL almost killed, Jack! You, me, Carly, Raf; even them!" Miko retorted, pointing at us.

"Well, if this was just an average day with the Autobots, then I don't want to be a part of it! Not any more!" The boy announced.

"Jack, putting you in harm's way was never our intent," Optimus told him, "However, it is no longer the safety of you four that is at risk. But the safety of all humankind. We will respect your decision if you wish to leave."

Ratchet decided that he was happy with the idea that he were leaving - he only seemed to like people made out of his own metal anyway, "No point in long goodbyes. Here's the door!" He even opened the Groundbridge to prove it!

"Come on, Raf," Jack said, already on his way.

Raf looked at Bumblebee and Carly, making up his mind when he saw their sad faces, "I'll be okay, Jack. See you at school."

"Sure thing," Jack nodded at Rafael. As he walked to the stairs, he looked at Carly, "I'm sorry." Then he continued his way. As he got to the Groundbridge, he was stopped by his... was... guardian; Arcee, "I know. You don't exist."

"Don't make me hunt you down," My closest friend threatened sadly, watching Jack leave.

As the Groundbridge was about to close, Carly ran down the steps, "WAIT!"

Panic rushed through me, "You wanna leave too?"

"No, of course not!" Carly told me, "I have to talk to Jack about something. And I kinda need a walk. After all the action today, I just need some time to let it sink in." With that, she walked into the 'bridge.

I started thinking about Carly's sudden interest in Jack. It was strange, but it didn't matter. All I knew was that when Ratchet let me, I was gonna head out and see her to talk about some things.

"Ratchet! I found Carly's notepad; and she had sketched that picture that I had shown Optimus!"

Ratchet quickly took the notepad off her and had a look at it. That was all I saw before I entered my thoughts once more.

* * *

 **NO ONES P.O.V**

The Nemesis had decided to float around somewhere else for a change. Instead of floating around amongst the clouds, it was floating around space, gaining the occupants a great view of planet Earth.

If only they cared about view outside...

"Please, Lord Megatron! I meant no-!" Slipstream watched in silent amusement with her arms crossed while Starscream was interrupted by Megatron slapping the silver and red Decepticon around.

"I ordered you to await my command!" Megatron reminded him, slapping the Decepticon across the room, "Instead, your mindless agenda resulted in the disabling of my ship! And the delay of my plans!"

"And you, Rebecca Rose." Said female looked up from her sitting position on the controls when Slipstream referred to her. She was leaning back on one arm while both legs dangled from the edge on the panel. "You know better than to get caught up with him!"

Rebecca only rolled her eyes and looked over at her long black fingernails, "I got bored! What else was I supposed to do while you and Megatron went off to go raise some army of undead Cybertronians? Which," The female sat up from her slouch, "By the way, only ended up being destroyed by Optimus and Windswept! And their lapdog!"

"Our intentions were pure, master!" Starscream defended himself and Rebecca quickly, crawling away when his master edged closer, "I only wanted you to be rid of Optimus!" Before Starscream could get another word in, Megatron stood on his upper torso, including his face and neck, inflicting more pain upon the smaller Decepticon.

"No one rids me of Optimus Prime and Windswept but me and Slipstream! Do you understand?! Do you?!" Megatron snapped, pressing his foot harder against Starscream.

"Lord Megatron, I will make things right. I swear! I know how to set your plans back on course!" quickly spat out, causing Megatron to remove his foot.

The Decepticon Warlord removed his foot and wrapped a hand around Starscream's throat to hold him up in the air, "Explain, Starscream. Quickly."

* * *

When Carly had stepped out of the Groundbridge, Jack had already made his way home just across the road. She bit her lip. She needed to make things right between her and him. Looking both ways, she crossed the road to the open garage that Jack was currently working in.

Just as she had made it onto the footpath, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and looked at it.

 _ **You gonna talk to Jack? Can I come watch?**_

Carly simply laughed at the text and replied instantly back.

 _ **Yeah. I can handle this, Miko. Just go home. I'll see you tomorrow.**_

Despite getting a message back, Carly chose to ignore it and instead walked up to the open garage, leaning against the door frame.

"Now I can see why you had to get home so early." She watched Jack turn around, surprised to see her.

"Can I help you with anything?" Jack simply questioned, looking back to his bike he had been using before he met Arcee.

"Nah, not really. Just wanted to come over and say hey," Carly shrugged, walking into the garage, "Nice digs. Really loving the décor. It's so...fascinating."

"Do you have a point to this conversation, Carly?" Jack asked straight up.

"You bet I do," The girl answered. She wandered in and sat down beside the boy, "I saw what you did today. When you saved Raf when I couldn't. When you came to save Miko and I..."

"I was raised to be responsible. To my school work, to my mum, my job," Jack explained bitterly, placing the wheel back on his bike.

"Hear me out, Jackson." The boy's ears twitched at the sound of Carly referring him to his full first name. He looked down at the girl, who continued, "You have the world in your hands and you could do anything you want with it. But instead, you're here, cooped up in your garage fixing this bike. Normal isn't a good look for anyone, especially for someone as...unique and cool as you."

"Thanks, Carly. But I think normal suits me fine," Jack told her in a sigh.

"If you're trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be."

Jack stifled a chuckle, "Where's that one from?"

"Not sure. Amy told me that one once. Stuck to me since."

Jack just shook his head and continued to work on his bike, well aware that Carly had not made any movement to leave. His mind went back through their conversation and realised something.

Carly had called him cool.

"It's been a while since I heard you calling me cool."

Carly looked up, "Yeah, well...I've been thinking about things. I'm willing to forgive you for that comment you made about...well, you know."

Jack nearly dropped the tool he was working with. He looked down at the girl, "Seriously? Even though that was a really harsh thing I said about him, you still wanna forgive and forget?"

"Oh I'm not gonna forget about it. But it's about time I got over it," Carly shrugged.

Jack went to work on the bike once more, but was surprised to feel a hand on his shoulder, helping herself up.

"Right, I guess it's time I got home, I guess. Mama's gonna kill me if I arrive home late again. It doesn't help that I'm on the other side of town. Got out of trouble last time. Don't think I will this time." Carly stood outside the garage, "See you around school, Jack."

Jack was surprised to let the conversation end just like that. But he simply waved and smiled, "Yeah...see ya." He watched her disappear from view, feeling some weight lifting off his shoulders.

He looked back to his bike, continuing to adjust the screws on the wheel. But as he worked, he was distracted by what Carly had said about him and being normal.

What if he was on this planet to do something more? What if he was meant to be with the Autobots? What if he just made the biggest mistake of his life? What if...?

He pushed all those what ifs away for the rest of the night. He had a bike to repair. Now that he didn't have a ride to take him to places everyday, he was going to need that bike. Even if it only went ten speed... and even if it didn't transform into an Autonomous Robotic Organism that had become his new friend...

Meanwhile, down the road, Carly looked down at her phone, reading the message that she decided to ignore from Miko when she spoke with Jack.

 _ **You got this girl! You tell 'im straight up!**_

And as she went to reply, another message from the exchange student popped up.

 _ **So... how'd it go?! Do I need to come down and give him a piece of my mind?**_

Carly laughed, replying immediately.

 _ **Yeah Miko, it went okay. I think I got through to him. Hopefully he comes back. I'm gonna miss him otherwise.**_

Carly allowed the cool air to breeze past her as she thought about Jack. She meant what she said to Miko when she said that she hoped for him to return. She really want to patch up her friendship with him properly.

But, at the same time, her feelings for him within her heart were telling her not to let them cloud her judgement. She didn't want to patch things up in hopes that she had a chance.

Because she didn't. Not with Sierra around.

Phone vibrating in her pocket, Carly looked at it again.

 _ **Oooooooh do I sense my best friend having a crush on none other that Jack Darby, huh?!**_

Laughing, Carly put her phone back in her pocket, deciding on replying to her best friend in the morning.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I hummed to myself when I spotted Carly walking down the road closer to me. It had been a couple of hours since she left to talk to Jack. I wondered if anything had happened between them. And if anything did, well...I wouldn't be afraid to bring it up.

I shone my front light at her, watching her duck away from it. I laughed, "It's a bit late to be wandering around on your own, isn't it?"

"You're starting to sound like my Mama," Carly told me.

That was going to be the first...and last time I'd ever say something like that again.

"We need to talk. About Alejandro," I told her straight up.

I saw her flinch, "You heard Mama and I talking. It's not a good subject."

"It's good to talk about things like this. If it helps, I'll tell you some of my past."

I must have intrigued Carly since she sat down on the steps behind her and looked at my motorcycle form, "Well...where to start? Alejandro was more than just my brother, he was my best friend. The best person in the world. We would talk about anything and everything. He even promised to not tell a soul about my problems. I trusted him more than my own parents." She smiled at something, but it faded as soon as she got serious, "When I was twelve and Alejandro was eighteen, he decided he wanted to go for a drive on his motorcycle and said he'd be back soon. He loved riding that motorcycle, feeling the rush of the wind through his hair, I remember him saying. We warned him to wear his helmet, but he just laughed at us and said, 'Where's the fun in that?'.Then something happened. Next thing I knew, we were at the hospital. All they told us there was that Alejandro had been in a car crash.

"I was scared for him. But at the same time, I was thinking 'he's okay, they're just doing routine checks on him'. I can't remember what the time was, but it was nearly night time when the doctors said we could see him. I wish I didn't go in - Alejandro was hooked up to these machines and he had this massive bandage wrapped around his head. The doctors told us he was brain dead. Police concluded that his motorbike suffered a brake failure, thus running a red light just as traffic was crossing through. He did some damage to his head upon landing. Mama and Papa said that the family needed to talk so we left him on life support and went home. We talked and talked about the memories of Alejandro and concluded that he wouldn't wanna be lying in that bed so we decided to turn the switches off the next morning. And so...I did."

"You did?" I whispered as Carly brushed away tears from her eyes.

"The family said it made sense if I did it since I was the closest to him. I didn't want to do, but if anyone was going to, I wanted to. The next few weeks after that were rough. I was so angry at him, at myself, at everything. I just became more rebellious in his honour. I got in this massive argument with Amy one day and it made me realise my brother's death had affected me more than I thought. I told Mama about it and she made me take time off school. I was lost at home; I was expecting to find Alejandro there, waiting for me to tell him about everything. But he wasn't there. Nobody was. I walked around the house, the lawn, everywhere to put my mind at ease. And that was when I saw it: Raf. He was only eight when Alejandro died, but he was still had a lot of innocence in him. He had no idea of the world around him. I decided to protect his innocence like Alejandro had done with me... Ever since then, I knew that everything was gonna be okay. I fixed my friendship with Amy and I became closer to my little brother in the process."

I smiled inside my vehicle form. No wonder Carly and Raf were so close. They came together through the toughest of times. It was like Alejandro had wanted her to bond with their little brother for her to know that she had others around her that could be there for her.

"What about you?" I perked up when Carly whispered, "Got any stories to tell me?"

"Just one," I answered, "During the fight with what Miko has referred to as the 'Zombie 'Cons', I fell into unconsciousness and what I dreamed reminded me of a friend. I was fighting alongside my partners, trying to stop the Decepticons from infiltrating Iacon, where I worked with them. During the fight, this neutral turned up and swiped the guy I was fighting and before I knew it, this Cybertronian had taken him out before I could. I got so angry at him, I tell ya! And then when he turned up at Iacon and decided he was gonna stick around a little longer, well...he didn't get along with me. I think it was because of my background. But oh well...we argued a lot and then my boss decided to lock us in this room to sort out our problems and it turned out we had a lot more common than we realised. He had a twin, like me. He had defected from the Decepticons to the Autobots, also like me. So we became good friends...until the day he died."

"Wow, that's an interesting story of bonding. D-Do you know who…killed him?" Carly asked me.

"Yeah...a familiar face did," I whispered coldly, "She's been after me for a while. And I've been after her since then too." My engines purred at the thought of finally getting rid of Slipstream one day for murdering Spitfire.

But that's not the only reason why I want her dead.

"Don't let revenge cloud your judgement. It's not healthy."

I shone my headlights in her direction. Carly just looked away, "You sound a lot like Optimus for some reason. You gotta 'nother story to tell?"

"Maybe-"

" _ **Time's up. I'm sending a Groundbridge, Windswept.**_ "

"What does Ratchet want?" Carly asked as she began to stand up.

"He probably wants to see how my leg's doing. Turns out, that little mini-con piece of scrap did some damage," I explained, "It's a wonder I was able to transform and drive out to see you." A Groundbridge portal opened up behind me, "I guess I'll be picking you up tomorrow-"

"I can go with Bumblebee. You just get your leg healed up and we'll be out storming the roads at crazy speeds in a few days," Carly smiled as she walked up to the door. She glanced back at me, "I get the feeling this won't the only time I'll be hitching a ride with 'Bee."

"What can I say? I'm prone to getting myself out in battle and coming home with injuries," I laughed, "It's my day job!"

Carly shook her head and opened the door to her place. Once she was safely inside, I drove into the Groundbridge, thinking about my friend. She's interesting. I was definitely gonna make sure no 'Con gets to her, especially Slipstream. She'll just destroy that girl to bits and taunt me with it until the day I die.

"It can't be!" I heard Ratchet gasp as I drove into base. He was examining the equations the humans had obtained during their 'little' adventure today, "Optimus! These are engineering specs for a Space Time Vortex Generator!"

"Megatron's building a Space Bridge. If he hasn't already," Optimus realised gravely.

"The sooner he leaves, the better," Bulkhead remarked when he and Bumblebee approached them.

I doubted that idea to be true when I transformed, "Bulk, a Space Bridge runs in two directions."

"Megatron may not be using it to leave Earth. But to bring through his conquering army," Optimus proclaimed more gravely than before.

"The main event Megatron referred to," I added.

"I thought you out of it when we fought the undead?" Ratchet looked at me.

"I may have been out of it, but I never fail to listen to a word Megatron or Slipstream says just in case its' vital for the future," I simply told him.

Ratchet shrugged and continued, "The only place Megatron could possibly recruit that many fallen warriors is…" He trailed off.

"Precisely," Optimus agreed before finally voicing it aloud, "Cybertron…"

Well scrap...

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

That's it for today. Throughout the process of writing this chapter, I realised that I felt like I made a lot of progress with both Windswept and Carly. I've searched through part of their stories and what make them, well, them. That's something important.

Of course, that won't be the only stories that'll be told in this fanfic. There's plenty of stories from multiple characters in this that will come in time. For the moment, while I finish up this opening chapters and get into the real story, I can confirm that there will be original chapters important to Windswept's story. I just can't state when they will pop up, but for now, they are in development.

Also in development is the possibility of a prequel to this series. I've made it quite obvious that Windswept does have some sort of story to tell from her early years in the war and if anyone does want to see that, I'm happy to get stuck into it and create it for you. It probably wouldn't come out until the second season for this series comes out. In my head, I can see the two running alongside each other as eventually there will be storylines from the prequel that could crossover over to the second season and vice versa. But it's still early days and things can almost definitely change. So at the moment, the prequel is in early planning stages until further notice.

Motivation for writing makes me continue writing. So please follow/favourite/review if you are able to. And feel free to ask questions regarding this series. I might not have the full detailed answers for them right now, but I will provide you with some kind of answer.

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 11/07/2019** )


	5. Chpt 5: Darkness Rising Part 5

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

Well, aren't you readers lucky? Two chapters in about five or six days. I guess you could say that I've decided to kick myself into gear and since you readers are continuing to show your loyalty to me by viewing this story, then another chapter should be your reward.

Thank you to StormSpark for favouriting this story.

Now, let's get underway with the fifth and final part of the Darkness Rising saga.

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept, Carly Esquivel and Rebecca Rose belong to me.

(Windswept's P.O.V after recap)

* * *

 _ *** Show an army of undead Cybertronians charge towards Optimus, Ratchet and Windswept. ***_

 **Previously on Transformers Prime…**

 _ *** Show Megatron at the top of the cliff with Slipstream standing behind him. ***_

 _ **Megatron:**_ _ **"Bravo, Optimus! You may wish to save your strength for the main event."**_

 _ *****_ _ **Show Arcee battling Decepticon drones in a Decepticon computer room. ***_

 _ **Arcee:**_ _ **"We need to find Fowler and get them out of there."**_

 _ *****_ _ **Show Bulkhead and Bumblebee entering the room and shooting the remaining Decepticons. ***_

 _ *** Show the four humans watching the trio of Autobots race out of the computer room, the door locking behind them. ***_

 _ **Jack:**_ _ **"It's your fault that we're stuck in this intensity!"**_

 _ *****_ _ **Show Jack yelling at Miko with a frightened Raf and a silent Carly watching between them. ***_

 _ **Jack: "**_ _ **What were you thinking, Miko?"**_

 _ *****_ _ **Show a computer screen filled with a math equation only Cybertronians can understand. ***_

 _ **Raf:**_ _ **"Carly and I know math when I see it. And that is one serious equation."**_

 _ *****_ _ **Show the humans back at Autobot base with Agent Fowler on a stretcher behind them. ***_

 _ **Jack:**_ _ **"If this was just an average day with the Autobots, then I don't want to be a part of it!"**_

 _ *****_ _ **Show Jack walking and disappearing through the Groundbridge. ***_

 _ *** Show Megatron slapping Starscream around while an amused Slipstream and Rebecca watch. ***_

 _ **Megatron**_ _ **:**_ _ **"Your mindless agenda resulted in the disabling of my ship! And the delay of my plans!"**_

 _ *****_ _ **Show Starscream shouting in pain as Megatron stands on him. ***_

 _ *** Show an unimpressed Slipstream looking at Rebecca. ***_

 _ **Rebecca: "You went off to go raise some army of undead Cybertronians! Which only ended up being destroyed by Optimus and Windswept!"**_

 _ *****_ _ **Show Optimus Prime**_ _ **when Rebecca says 'Optimus'**_ _ **. ***_

 _ *****_ _ **Show Windswept when Rebecca says 'Windswept. ***_

 _ **Optimus Prime:**_ _ **"Megatron is building a Space Bridge to bring through his**_ _ **conquering**_ _ **army."**_

 _ *****_ _ **Show the camera flying throughout space. ***_

 _ **Ratchet:**_ _ **"But the only place where Megatron could recruit that many fallen warriors."**_

 _ *****_ _ **Show what's left of the planet Cybertron. ***_

 _ **Optimus Prime:**_ _ **"Cybertron."**_

"We cannot allow Megatron to send Dark Energon through his Spacebridge. If we fail, the dead of Cybertron will rise, swarm through his vortex and invade Earth, bending humankind to Megatron's twisted rule."

It was like a movie playing in my mind when Optimus explained what would happen to Earth if Megatron got his way. I could see Dark Energon flying through space, into the Spacebridge, plunging into the ground of what was our home planet. Arms of the undead rose up from the ground, reaching out through the Spacebridge. The image shifted, moving to multiple towns on Earth. Terracons reigned supreme, destroying anything in sight. Humans were screaming, trying to find cover. One appeared in my view and shot me, bringing me back to the real world once more.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The sun was breaking through to start the brand new day. And a brand new start for Jack Darby.

After a few days learning about a team of Autonomous Robotic Organisms, also known as the Autobots, taking shelter at an abandoned military silo outside of Jasper Nevada, and seeing the true war between them and their enemies the Decepticons, the sixteen year old boy chopped all ties connecting him to Autobots, wanting no part in their war.

He didn't just leave behind them, he also left behind his recently acquired blue motorcycle, who happened to transform into his former guardian Arcee. Now without a motorcycle, Jack raced on his fixed-up bike at double speed to try and arrive on time for his shift at the KO Drive-In.

Parking his bike up on the bike stand and flipping its' stand down, the boy got off the bike and looked up at the sign of his workplace with a sigh. He wasn't going to lie; just because he had left the Autobots, as well as the trio of classmates he got closer with, didn't mean that he didn't miss them.

The words Carly said to him the night before keep playing in his mind. Maybe she was right. Maybe he wasn't meant to be normal. Maybe he was meant to do something more with his life. Just maybe...

No... it was too late. He had severed his ties and he wasn't going back...

"Nice bike."

With a jump, the boy turned to find the blue motorcycle form of Arcee watching him in the parking lot.

"Arcee, really, Carly already tried," Jack automatically told his former guardian, walking up the two-wheeler, "Tell Optimus I respect him big time. But if you're at war with the Decepticons, there's nothing I can do to help,."

"Optimus didn't send me and no one's asking for your help," Arcee began.

"Okay, so if we both agree that I'm not warrior material..."

"Jack, I just lost someone I cared about. Maybe it's the grief talking. Maybe you're growing on me. Whatever it is, I'm just not ready to say goodbye."

The sixteen year old teenager looked at the motorcycle from in surprise. She wasn't ready to say goodbye? He was starting to grow on her?

Recalling those words from Carly last night, he was starting to regret the snap decision he made. Maybe the frustration of nearly getting killed took over his mind and lead him to that decision. Maybe it was the rush of the fight that got to him.

Maybe he didn't want to see anyone get hurt because of a possible mistake made by him.

Was leaving the Autobots, and his new found, well two of them new found, friends a good idea?

Poor Jack Darby didn't think so any more.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

While Ratchet was busy pinpointing the location of the space bridge Megatron was planning to use for his plans, I sat on the crate I was resting on last night and watched him. I knew my way around Cybertronian tech, having been taught by the best of the best back on Cybertron. Well...maybe he wasn't the best best, but in my opinion, he was.

I sighed. I missed Alpha Trion. I missed all of my friends that I made at Iacon. Some of them were dead, most... I had no idea where they were. Whether they had escaped Cybertron and were now just floating around in space... or stuck on our former home world, alive or dead... Maybe one day I'll find the answers.

"Optimus!" I jumped out of my thoughts when I heard a beeping sound coming from the computers. Ratchet turned to Optimus, "I have managed to pinpoint the location of Megatron's Space Bridge. High in Earth's orbit."

"Out of our reach," Optimus noted.

"Okay, so you guys don't fly. But can't you just Groundbridge there?" Miko suggested from her position on the ground with Bulkhead.

Raf was on Bumblebee's shoulder with Carly next to them... I may have snuck out early and surprised my new friend by picking her up and forcing her to hide out until Bumblebee and Raf arrived... Shhhhh, don't tell Ratchet.

"The Groundbridge has limited range. Stretched all the way into the orbit, it's vortex could snap and scatter us to the stars."

That made Miko's eyes widened in horror and her jaw just about drop to the ground. Carly had to sneak up beside her friend to pick it up for her.

"Since Megatron is likely already in transit, I'm afraid we must take that risk," Optimus decided, taking Miko's idea into serious consideration as he faced the Groundbridge tunnel, "Reaching the Spacebridge first is our only means of stopping him."

The sound of an engine and horn got our attentions before Optimus decided our next move. We looked at the entry/exit of our base, seeing the motorcycle form of Arcee come racing in. And she wasn't alone. Getting off Arcee's vehicle form and taking off his helmet, was revealed to be none other than... Jack Darby?

"Hey."

"Well, well, well," Carly smirked, walking up to the teenage, "Guess who's back?"

Jack only shrugged with a small smirk, "What can I say? Arcee was pretty convincing."

Carly's shoulders noticeably slumped in what I could only presume was disappointment. But before she could say anything, Jack placed his free hand that wasn't holding his helmet on her shoulder, "But you were also pretty convincing too."

Carly brightened up. Hmmm, interesting...

"Autobots prepare for departure," Optimus instructed, interrupting the scene.

Having not been here while the recent discussion was happening, Arcee looked at our leader with a confused look, "Where to?"

"The final frontier!" Miko answered in a mysterious manner.

"Wha? Space?" Jack whispered in disbelief, "I-I thought they didn't have a way to get there."

"They don't, really," Raf answered while Bumblebee placed him on the ground beside his sister.

"The Groundbridge is their only choice," Carly shrugged, looking over at Miko, "Despite the risks Ratchet told us about."

Miko's eyes widened again at the thought. But this time, her jaw didn't drop.

Nervously, Jack looked up at his guardian, "Be seeing you."

Arcee only smiled confidently in response, not wanting to worry her charge. Behind us, Ratchet activated the Groundbridge, the swirls of green and blue appearing in the tunnel.

"Be careful, Bee," Raf begged to his guardian.

Bumblebee whirred back that he would be before proceeding to stand to full height beside Arcee.

Hands on hips, Miko looked up to Bulkhead with a pout, "I'm so jealous!"

"Don't even think about following me," Bulkhead warned his friend, walking over to join his team.

I finally looked down at Carly to hear what she had to say.

She smirked at me, "Go get 'em, 'Swept!"

I smiled at her at the use of my nickname. Giving her a thumbs up, I nodded at her and stood beside Arcee. We exchanged a nod.

"Optimus, if you leave me stranded on the planet teaming with humans, I will never forgive you," Ratchet threatened.

"Until we meet again, old friend," Optimus reassured him, sliding on his battle mask.

I must admit, the thought of Ratchet being left behind and surrounded by humans was an... interesting thought.

Optimus looked around at us, his optics resting on the Groundbridge, "Autobots, roll out!"

At the sound of his command, we all proceeded to transform into our vehicle forms. Switching on our headlights, I twitched my rear-view mirror around to see Carly with the rest of the humans watching and waiting for us to head off to the battle.

I was not going to put it lightly: this was a dangerous mission. We were risking a lot for the planet that has become our only safe harbour during this war. If this were the last time I would see someone that was becoming a close friend to me, I wanted my last sight of her to be a good one. Seeing her smiling with her friends was a good enough one for me.

Optimus rolled out first, along with Bulkhead and Arcee behind him. I followed after Bumblebee. As we continued driving further and further into the Groundbridge, our leader yelled out another command ahead of us.

"Maximum overdrive!"

Before we knew it, we were driving into space. Stars twinkled around us brightly as if they were wishing us the best for the upcoming battle. In my rear-view mirror, I could see Earth, now nothing but a small round ball with patches of blues and greens.

"Autobots, transform and gravitize!"

We transformed behind Optimus, floating down towards the Decepticon Spacebridge. As we landed, I could feel the electricity from the Spacebridge cackle below my feet before I touched down upon the surface. Thanks to the gravitational stabiliser every Cybertronian had on our feet, everyone around me managed to land gracefully.

Well mostly everyone.

Bulkhead stumbled upon landing so I reached out and grabbed his servo to pull him forwards and back on both feet.

"Don't look down. Or up. Or left," Bulkhead instructed himself quietly.

I squeezed his servo comfortingly with both of mine before letting go. The sounds of engines stopped us from doing anything more. We looked behind, finding the Decepticon Warship flying towards us, marking its presence.

I wasn't going to show it, but I was worried that our attempts wouldn't be enough to stop Megatron and Slipstream's plan from succeeding. Maybe Slipstream's warning was more than correct; maybe the Decepticons were stronger than they were before. Now with Dark Energon in their corner, what could go wrong for them now?

I could only think of one thing.

And it involved Dark Energon getting the better of Megatron.

"So Megatron's packing enough Dark Energon to raise Cybertron's dead?" Arcee summarised.

"And since we don't possess ready means of disabling the Spacebridge, nothing gets in or out!" Optimus proclaimed, activating his blasters.

We followed suit, activating our weapons and standing in a stance ahead of Optimus, waiting for the Decepticons to play their next move.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Megatron chuckled inside the Nemesis, looking at his enemies from the computer screen. Slipstream smirked beside him.

Surely the small team of Autobots below couldn't be so stupid to think that were able to stop the rise of the army Megatron planned to bring forth via the Spacebridge?!

But... this was Optimus' team they were talking about. They would do anything to keep their newfound home safe.

Such selfish Autobots, Slipstream thought to herself.

"Optimus Prime and Windswept never disappoint," Megatron remarked before looking of his shoulder in disappointment, "Unlike you, Starscream!"

Said Decepticon stood behind them with a nervous laugh, "No need for concern, master. Soundwave is locking onto Cybertron's coordinates. Per _my_ instructions."

Megatron only looked away and back at the scanners, choosing to keep more of a watchful eye on his enemies than the pathetic silver Decepticon behind him.

Slipstream just rolled her eyes at her twin before looking around in realisation, "Wait a minute... Where is Rebecca Rose?!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

Nobody moved. Nothing happened. We all just stood in our stance with our weapons for minutes. Even when we thought that nothing would occurred, we still stayed in position.

"Well, what are they waiting for?" Arcee asked impatiently when no move was made.

Optimus held down his weapons and zoomed in on the Nemesis. He must have noticed something as he suddenly spoke, "It appears the Decepticons have sustained serious damage to their interstellar navigation system."

"Huh. That's my handy work," Bulkhead recalled the events from the day before.

"Nice one," I complimented, turning to Bulkhead and exchanging a fist bump with the green mech.

"Great job Bulkhead. Without the dish, Megatron will be unable to aim the Space Bridge at Cybertron _._ "

" _ **Don't the**_ _ **D**_ _ **ecepticons know where their own planet is?**_ " Raf asked over the comms.

" _ **Naturally**_ ," Ratchet scoffed, " _ **But Cybertron is many light years away. To reach their target, their aim must be astronomically precise.**_ "

"If Megatron went to the trouble of rendezvousing with his Spacebridge, he must have an alternate targeting system. A remote one _._ "

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Hmph. From what I know of Earth's technology, I doubt there'd exist a single radio-telescope dish on this planet powerful enough to pinpoint Cybertron," Ratchet explained in disbelief.

"What about a whole bunch of LINKED radio-telescope dishes?" Behind Jack, Miko and Ratchet, Raf and Carly were eyeing the human sized computer screens ahead of them. The small boy was typing in various commands as if he was searching for something.

"Like the giant sized array in Texas!" Carly realised when the image of the ray appeared on the screen.

Ratchet babbled in disbelief, bending down to meet eye to eye with the Esquivel siblings. Carly stood to protect her brother behind her.

"This is not child's play!"

" _ **Good thinking, Raf and Carly.**_ " Carly grinned proudly of her brother when Ratchet's jaw dropped to the floor at the compliment given to them by Optimus, " _ **Ratchet, have Agent Fowler alert the array staff**_ _ **to**_ _ **the security hazard.**_ "

"You! Soldier! You're out of uniform! Put on some pants!" The sole Autobot and the four humans looked at the Agent before he passed out on his stretcher once more.

"That may be a challenge," Ratchet replied after the sudden outburst.

Raf turned back to the computer behind him, typing in commands once more. He even allowed Carly to briefly get a hold of the keyboard, also typing in commands. She handed the reins back over to her little brother, who began to get frustrated.

"I can't get past the array's firewalls. They're too thick!" He slammed his fists on the bench around the keyboard and shaking his head.

"You actually think you can actually keep the Decepticons out?" Ratchet scoffed.

"Maybe. IF we can get in," Carly answered.

"Wait, wait, wait. Carly!" Jack walked up to the siblings, "What if we can get you all the way in? Like inside-the-building in?"

"We could try to log into their internal networking from the other side of the firewall," Carly answered, giving some thought into his suggestion.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

Were they seriously considering bridging out to wherever that sized array was and attempting to not allow the Decepticons to pinpoint Cybertron?! Were they really?!

I was ready to give my charge and her little brother a piece of my mind.

"The risk is too great. The Decepticons will be there. Perhaps even on-sight," Optimus declined. At least someone was thinking the same thing as me.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Optimus, with all due respect, you said it yourself. This is bigger than the safety of four humans." Jack started, attempting to reason with the Prime.

"Yeah!" Miko agreed, "If we let the 'Cons win, we're fragged along with everyone else on our planet!"

Carly nodded in agreement, looking at her close friend and her schoolmate with a smile. She knew Jack was born for more than just being normal. And her instincts were proving her right.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

They were right. Scrap it, they were right! If we don't stop the Decepticons, which is still a strong possibility, then we allow them to take control of Earth and possibly more planets across the galaxy. Maybe even the galaxy itself!

Optimus and I exchanged a glance. Defeated, I spoke to him, "I think this one's out of our hands."

My leader looked away from me and at the Decepticon Warship, "Raf? Carly?"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Raf and Carly looked at their friends before exchanging a look. Their eyes spoke rather than their mouths. They knew what had to be done - for the sake their new friends, their planet and everyone who called it their home.

"We wanna give it a shot."

* * *

The Autobots weren't the only ones knowing that something was going on. A few certain Decepticons inside the Nemesis were well aware of it. And if they weren't aware of it before...well... they were about to now.

"Surely, Lord Megatron. The Autobots are up to something."

"Really, Starscream?" Megatron gasped sarcastically, turning to get up close and personal with Starscream, their faces only inches away from each other.

Starscream only shrugged his shoulders and let out a little laugh at the response.

Slipstream rolled her eyes at the staring contest the two Decepticons were sharing. Looking down, she slammed a button in the middle of the control pad, "CRUSH THEM!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

Just as I thought the Decepticons weren't going to make their move, purple jets began flying out from the Nemesis and towards us. They continued flying out to the point that we knew straight away we were going to be vastly out-numbered.

But we're Team Prime. We can handle anything those Decepticons can chuck at us. We've individually survived worse during the war for Cybertron. We're the living proof of surviving worse.

"Here comes the welcoming committee," Bulkhead remarked.

Optimus and I exchanged the same look and nodded.

Let's party.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

As the battle in space began, the battle on the ground was just beginning.

Blue skies with white clouds - the perfect weather for the state known as Texas. It seemed as if it was going to be one of those days where nothing ever occurred.

Swirls of green and blue appeared out of nowhere, forming into a circle shape known as the Groundbridge. Four humans by the names of Jack, Carly, Miko and Raf leaped out of it, landing gingerly on their feet before the swirling portal disappeared behind them.

Each one of them slumped over at first, catching their breathes and feeling slightly unwell from the trip. It wasn't the first time they had used the portal, in fact, it was only their second time. But they hadn't used it for very long so the effects of it were becoming quite clear as each one rubbed their heads in discontent.

"That'll take some getting used to," Jack remarked as he shook his head so he could stop seeing double.

"You do not have to say that again," Carly nodded, grabbing Raf's shoulder to stabilise herself.

"Whoa!" Miko gasped as she took in the site they had arrived at.

Before them were rows and rows of satellite dishes, each one activated and ready to point at whatever they were meant to be pointed at.

With determined looks, and now feeling much better, the four began sprinting to the dishes. They had no time to waste. If they had any hope of stopping the Decepticons, now had to be the time to stop them.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

As the Decepticon jets swarmed in on us, blaster fire began pouring down on us. Spread out, we instantly fired back, shooting at them double time to stop.

A couple of the jets transformed and landed right in front of me. Quickly, I had to back flip out of their way before they got an easy advantage over me. I pointed my twin blasters at one of them that continued shooting at me, easily taking him out. The other one decided to slowly stalk me, ready to jump at me with a surprise attack since I looked _so_ distracted by his friend.

Ha, nice try.

Optics locking on to his, all I saw was panic and fear as I swapped in my blasters for my fists, rapidly approaching the Con and punching him senseless. When he could just barely stand on his two feet, I leaped up, twisting in mid air and kicking him in the torso, knocking him over to his other unconscious, or probably dead, friend.

I looked around me briefly - Optimus was throwing a couple of 'Cons around, Bulkhead was swinging his wrecking ball around, Bumblebee was using blasters and Arcee was going for hand to hand combat with her wrist blades.

Another pair of drones started coming up towards me. I smirked.

'Cons, time to meet your doom...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Meanwhile, in the control room that controlled the satellite dishes outside of the building in Texas, Miko looked down both sides of the corridor, checking to make sure there was no one around. Comfortable with the fact that both sides were clear, she closed the door.

"Security sure is lacks in this place," Miko remarked, walking up to the trio working at the computers.

"We're in!" Raf announced with a smile before a frustrated look came over his face, "...and so are the Decepticons."

"What?" Jack gasped, leaning on the chair Carly was sitting on.

"How can you tell?" Miko wanted to know.

"Schematics," was Carly's reply. "With the same equations and details we saw on their ship yesterday. But this time..."

"We can download it!" Raf finished as his sister plugged in his USB into the computer.

"It's gotta be the Space Bridge," Miko believed.

"The Decepticons are syncing it to the dishes," Raf noticed, "But we can sync to them."

"Will they know?" Jack asked nervously.

"Even if the Decepticons see that we're in their system, they'll have no idea we're in the house," Raf reassured them.

Reassured, the humans decided not to worry about the threat of Decepticons for the moment, continuing to focus on Raf and Carly's progress.

In a few rooms away, what they didn't realise was the fact the Decepticons were also in the house. Two of them to be exact.

The eyes and the ears of the Decepticons, otherwise known as Soundwave, had tentacles connecting from himself to the wires where all the lines controlling the dishes were. But that's not all he was doing.

Beside him, Rebecca smirked with glee. Using her newly acquired hoverboard, she floated up onto the roof that Soundwave destroyed to get into the building, and smiled as the satellite dishes started directing themselves up to the skies where the Spacebridge was...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Punching the drone that arrived before, knocking him out and down onto the ground with the group of Decepticon drones that had been killed, I took a step back to regain my energy.

Suddenly, the Spacebridge started moving below our feet.

"Whoa!" Bulkhead murmured as he regained his footing.

"What just happened?" Arcee asked Optimus with a shaky tone.

"The Decepticons are locking on to Cybertron."

Scrap.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Lord Megatron, the Space Bridge is ready for activation," Starscream announced, turning to face his master and SIC behind him.

"Finally," Megatron growled, looking down the silver Decepticon with an 'it's about time' look.

Starscream only slumped his shoulders at the reaction.

* * *

On the computer screens, something began flashing red on the screen. Carly's eyes narrowed.

"They're locked on to Cybertron," Raf observed as he and everyone else looked at the satellite dishes displayed on the computer screen.

"But not for long," Carly promised.

Raf worked onto moving the dishes away from Cybertron while Miko and Jack shared a hopeful look behind him. Once the young boy had finished typing in his commands, the dishes which were once pointed up to space returned to their normal position towards the desert and beyond.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The Spacebridge started to still suddenly, freezing underneath our feet.

" **Raf and Carly did it!** " Bumblebee cheered, throwing his hands in the air.

"Yes!" I cheered with him, leaping up to high five him, "That's our humans!"

"Indeed, Bumblebee and Windswept. This can only be Raf and Carly's doing," Optimus agreed after knocking out a drone.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

No one was pleased with the dishes had changing their course...

"Starscream, what is happening?" Megatron demanded.

Slipstream's eyes went a dark red at her twin angrily. Why did her brother always have to go and stuff everything up when it was going oh so right?

Nervously, Starscream repeated the same question into the com-link, "Soundwave, Rebecca; what is happening?"

* * *

At the words, Rebecca gasped in anger. She snapped her fingers at Soundwave, "Bring up the security footage!"

Soundwave did as he was told, searching through the video feed coming from every camera in the facility. Reaching one of the control rooms, he paused at the sight. Rebecca looked at the frame, studying it.

"And just what do we have here?" She asked to herself, an evil smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

On the frame were four humans.

Four humans that thought they could outsmart the Decepticons.

"Fools," Rebecca only muttered, looking up at Soundwave, "I reckon it's about time we let our presence known.

* * *

"The dishes are heading back towards Cybertron. I'll just undo that again," Raf sighed.

"Here, let me have a turn," Carly suggested as she pulled the keyboard over to her, "We'll see what happens when the mess with the one and only Carlotta Esquivel!"

"Carlotta's your full name?!" The brown haired girl thinned her lips when Miko heard the name, "You never told me your full name!"

"Whoopsie..."

"What happens when the 'Cons realize they're being punked?" Jack asked nervously, keeping close by Carly.

"It's only virtual combat," the girl answered, "Ever tried online gaming?"

"Yeah, Jack. What are the 'Cons gonna do? They're probably like a thousand miles away," Miko scoffed.

"Or they could be right behind you."

The four humans looked over their shoulders, yelling in fright when they spotted a female wearing nothing but red and black standing at the doorway with what looked to be a Cybertronian claw waiting behind her.

"And who the hell are you?" Carly asked bravely, standing in front her brother when he went back to pressing commands on the keyboard.

"Oh, the Autobots haven't told you about me?" Rebecca pouted, placing a hand on her chest, "I'm a little bit disappointed."

"Guess you're not be worth talking about," Miko snarled, joining her friend.

Rebecca laughed, "Oh you two are so adorable. Well, I suppose I better introduce myself. The name's Rebecca Rose." She paused for a moment, looking over her sharp nails proudly, "Since we'll be getting to see a bit more of each other in the future, I suppose an introduction out of you four is in order."

Miko sneered, "You're gonna wish you never meet us in the future."

"Seriously, you girls are cute," Rebecca complimented with a smirk, "But time's a wasting." Snapping her fingers, the tentacle behind her charged towards the humans.

Carly ducked, but Miko and Jack unfortunately didn't and were caught by the claw of the tentacle. The two screamed as the tentacle flew around the room while the brown haired girl stood from the ground and looked for a way to help her friends.

"Aww, you're smart too?" Gritting her teeth, Carly spun around and faced the brownish-red haired girl. She looked beside her and grabbed the swirly chair she was just sitting on, throwing it at Rebecca's direction.

The girl just smirked, jumping to the right of the doorway as the chair slammed the wall outside of the room.

Carly stormed to the doorway the girl had disappeared from, looking to the right.

"I'm smarter." The girl caught Carly by surprise, gripping her shoulders and throwing her back into the room. With the brown-haired girl collecting herself on the ground, Rebecca began stalking her way to her new target at the computers, who was typing furiously to stop the Decepticons from gaining the advantage.

"I won't let them lock on again," The boy whispered to himself, typing desperately to make sure the satellite dishes wouldn't be redirected back to Cybertron.

Carly saw this and growled, "Oh I don't think so."

Rebecca never saw her coming as she was suddenly tackled to the ground, slamming against the floor. She looked up, finding the brown-haired girl with an angry look on her face.

"Stay away from my brother."

Rebecca laughed once more as realisation began to dawn upon her, "You remind me a lot of someone."

Carly went to shove the girl further into the floor when the tentacle threw Jack and later Miko into the opposite wall, both falling to the floor.

She watched as the claw began making its' way towards her little brother again. Her hand found something resting on pale-skinned girl's hip, pulling it off and discovering it was a boomerang.

Smirking she chucked it at the tentacle, who was distracted by the flying object. This gave Raf the opportunity climb onto the table, unplugging his USB containing the data from the computer. He managed to leap off the table just in time as the tentacle came back to destroy the computer he was just working at it.

The boomerang came flying back towards Carly. Reaching up, she managed to grab it from the air and found the end tips of it to be sharp.

So sharp that blood was quick to start pouring from her finger tips.

She stabbed the boomerang into the ground, trapping Rebecca's wrists between the floor and the boomerang.

"I think we have the same IQ," Carly growled as she ran to her brother and helped him duck from the claw, joining her friends on their side of the room.

Miko took the opportunity to provide cover for her friends, finding an axe resting on hooks against the wall. With a battle cry, she ran forward and took a swing at Soundwave's tentacle. But he dodged the attack and threw her against the wall again, landing on the ground again. Carly and Jack glanced at her worriedly before they and Raf noticed the claw holding the weapon Miko previously wielded.

"You handed in an axe?!" Jack asked Miko in fright.

"Not good," Raf and Carly remarked.

The tentacle swung at them, ready for the kill when suddenly, it pulled back out of the room.

Looking down at the floor where she had pinned Rebecca down with the boomerang, Carly was both surprised and not so surprised to find the girl had gone with the boomerang, a small puddle of red liquid in her place.

"Oh no."

* * *

Now locking the satellite dishes permanently, Soundwave retracted his tentacle back to the room he was in, dropping Rebecca off beside him.

"Why thank you Soundwave," the girl thanked, glancing at her blood-covered hands. She only shrugged and wiped her hands clean with a hand towel nearby. Upon another glance, she quickly found no marks were left behind on her hands. It was like she was never in a fight to begin with.

A fight with a human girl who thought that she could win the battle over a girl who was much stronger, faster and more pain-tolerant than her. Rebecca snorted. _Thought._

With the axe still in its' grip, the tentacle used the weapon to destroy one of the thick cables in the room.

"Success," Rebecca smirked, jumping up to the roof and preparing to leave.

A bang behind her made her turn to find the four humans barging into the main control room.

Miko pulled out her phone from her pocket, snapping a picture of Soundwave and Rebecca. Only minutes later, Soundwave copied her move, taking a picture of the four humans. Transforming, he waited as Rebecca climbed in the drivers seat.

She looked down at the four once more and smirked, "Until we meet again, humans." Secure in the cockpit of the silent Decepticon's jet form, they took off, fleeing from the scene of the crime they just committed.

"Why are they leaving?" Miko asked suspiciously.

"They cut the hard line," Carly sighed, looking over at the axe that had broken the main cable.

"The dishes are locked onto Cybertron," Raf exclaimed, bending down to look at the destroyed cable before proclaiming in defeat, "For good."

* * *

Now with the satellite dishes firmly locked in place, the Decepticons knew it was time to make a move.

"Now, Starscream?" Megatron asked impatiently.

"Now," The Decepticon nodded as he pressed the button gently.

Ahead of them, they watched as the Spacebridge swirled to life.

"It's about time," Slipstream muttered, choosing that moment to give a death look at her brother, who only chuckled nervously.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

As we destroyed the last wave of Decepticon drones, the sounds of an opening portal ventured its way into our audio processors. Looking behind me, the Spacebridge was coming to life. I groaned inwardly.

I thought Raf and Carly stopped the dishes.

Perhaps not...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

On the roof of the Decepticon Warship, Megatron appeared with the entire supply of Dark Energon he had been keeping in its' holding compartment.

"At last!" Megatron cheered in relief.

Using all of his strength, the Leader of the Decepticons threw his supply of the Blood of Unicron towards the green and blue swirling portal with a grunt, relieved of his plans finally going his way.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

I punched down one of the last remaining drones just as something high above caught me optic. I spotted a massive chunk of what I presumed was Dark Energon flying towards the Spacebridge. I could only presume it was thrown by the Cybertronian currently having Dark Energon running in his veins.

Optimus must have spotted the flying object too 'cause he activated his blaster and shot at it to no avail. Even if he did hit the flying mass at least once, what good would that have done? It could've split the chunk of Dark Energon in half, but some part of it would've still gone into the 'Bridge.

Speaking of, we as the mass disappeared through the Spacebridge. Arcee, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and I ran to our leader's side with full knowledge of what was going to happen.

The Dark Energon would fly like a meteor through our home world before splashing down onto the ground, infusing the Energon into the entire planet.

"ARISE, MY LEGION!" Megatron commanded in a battle cry behind us.

I could see it happening like before - the once dead Cybertronian warriors, would begin to come to life because of the Dark Energon. They would groan and screech as they lifted themselves, getting ready to meet the demands of the Leader of the Decepticons.

"So, how do we beat a whole planet of the undead?" Bulkhead asked nervously, sharing a look with Optimus.

" _ **Optimus!**_ " Oh Ratchet, how good it is to hear your voice.

Like I'll ever say that again any time soon.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"I'm registering a rapidly expanding mass in their Space Bridge vortex! One with a peculiar energy signature!" Ratchet announced.

On the computer screens above, the orange and white medic watched with the humans, now being joined by a slightly dazed Agent Fowler, as the Spacebridge became surround with purple dots which could only mean the Dark Energon was starting to take massive effect. Every time the screen flashed, more purple dots continued to appear.

" _ **Dark Energon.**_ _"_ Optimus realised over the comms, _"_ _ **Ratchet, we must destroy the Space Bridge.**_ "

At the announcement, Ratchet's jaw nearly dropped.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"There's enough live Energon coursing through it to achieve detonation," Optimus explained.

Destroying the Spacebridge? Are you serious Optimus? I mean, I trust you're judgement and all, but there's many problems with this plan. Including the fact that we would have to remain here to ensure its destruction.

I had to ask him something to be sure, "Optimus, I'm not sure we have enough fire power to ignite it...do we?"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"If I knew how the Spacebridge was engineered, I might find a tactical way of accomplishing that defeat," Ratchet replied.

"Um, would schematics help?" The medic looked down to see the Esquivel siblings looking up him with a hopeful expression beside Agent Fowler.

In Raf's hand was the USB that contained a lot of Cybertronian data.

"Optimus, I must say. The Space Bridge is our sole hope of ever returning to Cybertron. Are you certain its destruction is the only option?"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I looked up at Optimus when Ratchet asked that question.

The look on his face said it all.

"I am afraid so," he answered gravely.

" _ **Then by all means, let us light our darkest hour!**_ " Ratchet proclaimed, choosing to stand with our leader's decision.

There wasn't another option. We had to do this despite the outcome...

"Autobots, take your positions and follow Ratchet's lead," Optimus instructed, watching Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead take off. He then turned to the glowing figure of Megatron flying towards us, "While I make my stand."

I went to follow the others when I spotted Slipstream's jet form flying in our direction. I know I should follow Optimus' orders. But when Slipstream's form began nearing closer and closer, the decision was too easy to make.

"I shall stand with Optimus," I announced,, standing next to him, "And help you defeat our enemies together."

He only nodded beside me, "Do not let revenge cloud your judgement, Windswept. Fight for what you believe in."

"Fight for family and our new friends," I agreed.

Megatron and Slipstream transformed and landed a few feet away from us.

"Your fellow Autobots are wise, Optimus. They know when to retreat," Megatron remarked.

"I hold no illusions about engaging your army, Megatron. But I might derail its objective…by removing its head," Optimus warned as he unfolded his blade from his arm.

Megatron laughed, "Highly unlikely, Optimus. As I am infused with their very might!"

"One shall stand!" Optimus began, "One shall fall!"

With lightning cackling around us, the battle between Optimus and Megatron began, charging at each other and getting into the sword fight.

My attentions turned to Slipstream, who had a hand on her hip as if she was waiting for me to say something, and I was about to until she beat me to it, "We've been at this too many times, Windswept. It's time to finish this."

I nodded with a scowl, "I agree."

I transformed my servo into my sword and charged at Slipstream. She stood there for a moment, probably thinking about what she should do. When I got close enough, I swung my sword at her, but she dodged the swipe, and the swipe that followed, with her bare wrists.

I jumped back and as she recovered from my attacks, I slashed her torso, creating a mark beside a scar that she's had above her stomach all the way up to her spark chamber for many, many years.

That was when she snapped, transforming her hand into her own sword and charging at me violently. I could see the anger in her optics, the same ones I was probably filled with... He was coming into view, his lifeless frame on the ground, the gaping hole in his chest...

My sword clashed loudly with Slipstream's.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The computer screen showing the purple dots surrounding the Spacebridge were moving closer and closer, the screen flashing more and more movement from the dots every second.

"These things are getting closer! That's bad, right?" Fowler asked, still slightly affected from the torture that was inflicted upon him only a day ago.

" _ **Ratchet, we're in position.**_ "

"Arcee," Ratchet nodded, looking over at the small computer screens that Raf had up in front of him. With his keyboards sitting before him, he typed away furiously, determined to stop the Decepticons. "Pay close attention."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The fight between Slipstream and I continued to grow more and more personal. We traded in a swords ages ago and it quickly became a fist fight. Punches between us, with the odd kick involved, went flying back and forth.

My energy was becoming depleted the more our battle raged on. I was not going to give in. I was not going to let Slipstream get the better of me again. Not now, not ever.

I had more of a reason to fight now than I ever had to before. And it was in the shape of a small sixteen year old human by the name of Carly Esquivel.

A punch in the face brought me back to the real world, sending me flying to the ground. I must've gotten distracted my thoughts of Carly. I proceeded to climb onto my knees, albeit with a dizzy feeling in my helm. I could see Slipstream taking the moment to refocus and regain some of her own strength.

I stood back onto my feet, rubbing my helm in discomfort. She sound of something whizzing past my audio receptors soon caught my attention. I looked behind me and found part of Optimus' handheld sword with the tip cut deeply into the surface of the Spacebridge a few feet away.

I went to look back at Slipstream only to find her gone. I gasped when something touched my shoulder and spun around quickly only to find...

Nothing.

What?

I was knocked over by a weakened Optimus Prime suddenly. Together, we flew across the surface of the Spacebridge, making heavy contact with ground. bouncing onto our servos and knees. While they had us distracted and weakened, Megatron and Slipstream must have taken advantage together.

With our frames sparking, I looked up to our enemies. They came up to stand in front of us. With their swords in servo, they raised them high to kill us...

" _ **Master?**_ "

"Starscream!" Slipstream yelled in anger.

"What is it?" Megatron demanded in annoyance.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"We do not wish to question your all-seen wisdom, Lord Megatron," Rebecca began, looking at the monitor.

"But we believe the Autobots are up to something again. Beneath your bridge this time," Starscream warned.

On the monitor, a trio of Autobots stood at the main controlling systems of the Spacebridge. Two of them were on guard, blasters activated and ready to strike at anything. The third one stood before the Spacebridge system as if she was going to do something to it. The computer screens scanned the figures, revealing the guarding Autobots to be Bulkhead and Bumblebee while the one about to tamper with the systems was Arcee.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"Ah, misdirection, Optimus," Slipstream sneered.

"You and Windswept would have made fine Decepticons," Megatron complimented before he and Slipstream raised their blades at us, ready to strike the final blow for the second time.

Optimus and I blocked their attack to stop their second attempt at killing us.

"I chose my side!" Optimus retorted.

"I ran to the right side years ago," I growled, looking up at my enemy with anger.

Managing to defect the blow, we threw in our swords for our blasters, shooting at Megatron and Slipstream. Our shots pushed the 'Cons back, their stabilisers on their feet losing grip.

Now back to our full strengths, we continued firing at the Decepticons. They must have known we had the advantage now 'cause they transformed into their jet forms and flew away from us. I watched Slipstream fly towards the Nemesis while Megatron flew closer to the Spacebridge.

His army must be getting closer and closer to reaching the surface...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

" _ **Starscream, my army approaches. Rendezvous with the Space**_ _ **b**_ _ **ridge for pickup.**_ "

"Be careful, Lord Megatron," Slipstream warned en route to the Warship.

" _ **Do not warn me to be careful, Slipstream. I can sense my army. They will not bring harm to any of us**_ ," Megatron told her before ending the comm-link.

Slipstream did not believe that the army of Terracons about to burst through the Spacebridge was the issue she was warning her leader about...

* * *

" _ **Now follow the line from the flow insulator to the Energon pump. There should be a valve.**_ "

Per Ratchet's instructions, Arcee followed the line to the Energon pump, spotting it and quickly telling the medic, "I see it." She pressed a button, activating the valve.

" _ **Good. To turn all that power against itself, all you need do is reverse the current.**_ "

Grabbing a hold of the valve and grunting with all her might, she managed to turn the valve, reversing the current. It took most of the small Autobot's strength and ability to complete the task, but it didn't matter. She would do anything to stop the Decepticons from winning this fight.

Letting go of the valve, blue electricity cackled from the wiring of the Spacebridge, searching for stable ground to cling onto. Arcee took a step back, knowing she had done all she could for now.

* * *

" _ **Current reversed.**_ "

Miko and Raf high-fived while Jack and Carly, most of her fingers on one hand bandaged from her battle with Rebecca, fist-bumped. And in between them, Agent Fowler cheered with excitement.

"YES!" Then the still-dazed Agent looked down at the youngest human member of the team nervously, "Right?"

While Miko and Jack shrugged at each behind the dark-skinned man, Carly clasped the man's shoulder, "Agent Fowler, the Autobots have saved our planet! You have a right to be excited!"

Jack smiled an almost dreamy-like smile at the girl. But before anyone had a chance to see, Miko pointed at the boy before drawing a love heart and pointing at her best friend with a smirk on the other side of the Agent. The smile on Jack's face disappeared quickly, crossing him arms and shaking his head immediately while the girl only nodded with her smirk still in place.

"I'll ready the Groundbridge," Ratchet responded, heading over to the controls.

* * *

Even though the Spacebridge controls had been tampered with in a good way, that didn't mean that the battle was over. Having seen the trio of Autobots fiddle with his Spacebridge, Megatron quickly set course on them, firing his Dark Energon powered blaster shots at them.

Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead saw the Decepticon coming, immediately firing blasters shots at the Warlord. But the powerful mech was too smart, flying around and dodging each shot they fired. Taking his chance at the small gap, Megatron charged forward at the trio. With a battle cry, he fired. His attacks missed Bumblebee and Bulkhead, but they managed to hit Arcee.

The blue Autobot slammed on the ground hard as a result of the hit, bouncing back up into the air and floating into space, having been knocked out from the Dark Energon powered-shot.

Happy with the result, Megatron flew to his Spacebridge where his army was coming.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee must have been successful when they mucked around with the Spacebridge. Purple electricity was cackling through the ground around Optimus and I. Suddenly, the surface we were standing on started coming apart, tearing pieces of itself away from one another as it headed our way.

Blocking some of the stray pieces for a moment, Optimus and I exchanged a knowing look.

It was time to go.

We spun around and started racing away to seek safe harbour.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

While the Decepticon Spacebridge started to explode around him, Megatron took no notice, flying closer to the opening where his Dark Energon powered army were appearing. The Warlord dodged the splitting surface below him and transformed, floating closer to the swirling blues and greens before him. On the other side, he could see his army flying closer to him.

His army was so close!

Looking over his shoulder briefly, Megatron spotted something that should've been waiting for him.

"STARSCREAM! WHERE IS MY SHIP?"

* * *

Having returned to Warship after her fight with her enemies, Slipstream watched the monitor, seeing the Spacebridge getting smaller and smaller from view in horror. Beside her, the floating Rebecca watched the scene with interest.

Surely, Lord Megatron wouldn't risk his life for this pathetic army? If Optimus, one of his warrirors and that lapdog could destroy the original army, then how long could the new army last if the whole of Team Prime were fighting it?

"We would never make it, Lord Megatron!" Starscream argued, gripping the monitor, "Don't be a fool!"

"Megatron, take flight and get back to the Warship!" Slipstream begged helplessly.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The surface of the Spacebridge continued to blow apart behind us, quicker than we were running. The surface suddenly was blowing apart right beside us - it was making me worry that tiny bit more that wouldn't make it home.

" _ **Optimus! The Groundbridge is ready and waiting!**_ "

This was the second time today that would I say something like this...

Thank goodness for our dear medic!

"Autobots, jump!" Optimus instructed.

My leader and I leaped off the Spacebridge, flying down into the Groundbridge below. My only hope was the rest of our team were following us in on their own accord...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

As the last two Autobots, one of them carrying the injured and unconscious Arcee, jumped into the Groundbridge, the portal swirled closed behind them.

Now alone, Megatron got a good look at his Dark Energon-fueled army ahead of him. They would do well, he decided. If only he could get them to safety once they came through.

Stupid Starscream.

"My legion," Megatron observed in a whisper.

As one Terracon reached its' hand out for the leader of the Decepticons, an exploding noise widened Megatron's optics. He noticed the Spacebridge starting to self-destruct around him. He should retreat. He knew he had to!

But he was so close! He wasn't going to back down from retrieving his army.

"NO!" the Warlord gasped, reaching his servo into the portal and barely making contact with the Terracon reaching his hand out.

But it was too late. Before Megatron could do a single thing about his army, the Spacebridge exploded in a ball of bright blue light. An explosion that sent waves and waves of blue mist throughout the solar system.

The Spacebridge was destroyed. The Terracon soldiers Megatron worked so hard for were destroyed with it.

And the leader of the Decepticons himself...

* * *

"Decepticons, it is with deep sorrow that I note for the log that Megatron's spark has been extinguished," Starscream announced, shaking his head in disbelief.

"All hail Starscream-" With an elbow to the side, Starscream knew he wasn't finished, "And Slipstream!"

Rebecca smirked at the attention the Decepticon twins were earning with a smug look. She knew that the power of Dark Energon would become too much of Megatron. She knew all too well.

* * *

The blue and green Groundbridge swirled before the five humans who waiting for their Autobots to come through and announce their victory.

But the longer they waited, the more they worried.

"Do you...think they're…?" Raf asked nervously.

Ratchet looked at his wrist, "Five life signals." One caught his attention. "One very faint."

The four children looked back at the Groundbridge.

Which one of their Autobots was in trouble?

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Optimus was the first to walk out from the Groundbridge, the scarred frame of our leader standing strong and proud, hopefully signalling out to the humans and Ratchet that the plan went successfully.

I followed him, also walking in with battle wounds, but otherwise in good condition. I walked to the humans waiting with baited breathe.

Except for one.

Carly raced down the steps, jumping down the last four and racing towards me. I bent down, mirroring the massive grin on her face.

Lightly punching the armour around my ankle, the brown-haired girl looked up and asked me, "So how's the leg?"

My optics widened. I forgot about my leg!

Looking down, I observed the patch around my lower leg, looking a little second-hand but other wise still in good condition. Small tears at the corners meant that there were some small patches of blue pooling at the sides.

"Intact," I answered with a smile, looking up at Ratchet, "But I reckon it could use a new patch on it."

Ratchet, surprisingly, smiled at me softly, "I would be glad too."

"Bulkhead!" Miko squealed in delight as she saw her new friend become the next Autobot to break through the Groundbridge.

The girl didn't waste any time, also racing down the steps. As she did so, Bulkhead bent down and held out his hand towards the girl. The latter hugged the side of his hand and lower wrist, grateful for her guardian's return.

Jack and Raf walked down the steps in worry, looking towards the Groundbridge. Carly and Miko also looked at the Groundbridge with the same facial expressions.

Something was wrong. And whatever it was, it involved either Bumblebee or Arcee.

Both who had become part huge parts in my life for the last few years that we've been on Earth.

Bumblebee was the last Autobot to race through the Groundbridge. Because unconscious in his arms was Arcee.

No...!

Bumblebee bent down slightly, allowing all of us to get a look at our unconscious friend and teammate while the Groundbridge closed behind him

"Arcee!" I went to race to her side with Bumblebee, but Bulkhead put his arm in my way. I allowed it, hugging his arm tightly.

Jack quickly ran to Arcee, looking up at her to see if he could find any sort of life out of herCarly stood on one side of him, squeezing his hand in support while Raf stood with, looking up at Arcee. Miko stood on the other side of Jack, holding his shoulder and wrist comfortingly.

"We lost one this week. By the All Spark, don't let it be two," Ratchet begged.

I snivelled, trying to not allow the tears to fall down my cheeks. That was a sign of weakness.

Windswept is not weak.

Jack moved away from his schoolmates and placed a hand on his guardians metallic one. Maybe he was hoping that it will bring our friend back to life in some sort of way.

Arcee slowly awoke in Bumblebee's arms from the touch of Jack's hand, looking at him with soft optics.

"Arcee?" Jack's voice cracked from emotion.

"Jack, really? There are other motorcycles in the world," Arcee smirked weakly.

"But you're my first," The boy retorted with a sad smile. A smile that Arcee returned in a spark-beat.

"And Megatron?" Ratchet inquired. He looked much more relieved to know Arcee was alright.

"Not even he could have survived Ground Zero," Optimus answered in a dismissing manner.

"Prime!" Agent Fowler called out. He looked much better than he did when we left, "I didn't get to thank you bots for the save. I owe you one." He wandered into the elevator, pressing a button and looking at us, "We all do." The doors closed without another word.

Bumblebee helped Arcee to her feet as she smiled down at the humans. I removed my grip on Bulkhead and walked over to her slowly, observing her slightly. I wanted to make sure she was alright. When I felt that she was okay, I pulled her in for a hug.

" _ **You gave me quite the scare,**_ " I whispered to her through the private link.

" _ **I'm not leaving just yet, 'Swept.**_ _ **Gotta find Cliff's killer first."**_

" _ **And she's back,**_ " I quietly chuckled as we let go of each other.

A questioning look came over Miko, walking over to Optimus. "Is this the part where you say goodbye and tell us we need to forget we ever saw you?" She asked nervously as we all looked up to Optimus.

He only looked at the humans with thought...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

 _ **"Without a means of leaving this world, we Autobots take strengths in the bonds we have forged with our three young friends.**_

Miko and Carly sat on the steps, giggling as the former wrote something in her book. Spotting something over her friend's shoulder, the Japanese exchange student waved at the figure. Carly looked and found her brother running up the steps to greet them. Gathering up their things, the brown-haired siblings greeted each other with a hug.

Jack appeared from the inside the school, carrying his bag in his hand. Greeting the girls and Raf with a smile, the four humans looked at the sight before them.

" _ **True warriors.**_

Their guardians were parked up in the parking lot in front of the school, waiting for the human friends.

" _ **If not in body...**_

Bulkhead and Bumblebee opened their doors for Miko and Raf. Arcee and Windswept flashed their headlights at Jack and Carly. With big smiles, the four humans raced down the stairs with one another to see who could get to their guardians first.

" _ **...**_ _ **T**_ _ **hen in spirit.**_

As the sun slowly began to set on what was another normal school day, four vehicles drove down the road to what everyone thought would be their second home.

" _ **My name is Optimus Prime. And I send this message. Though we did not choose to be of Earth, it would seem that we are here to stay.**_

Bumblebee and Rafael were ahead of the pack of small Autobots, their eager and young personalities just urging the scout to be in the lead of what he determined was a race to the Autobot base. Arcee and Windswept trailed after him with Jack and Carly, choosing to race each other rather than race the speedy Autobot ahead of them. Besides, they had a tie to settle. And at the back of the pack was Bulkhead, who was probably rocking out to the music Miko was no doubt likely playing in his vehicle.

" _ **If you approach this planet with hostile intent, know this…**_

That week was a week that had forever changed the lives of both the Autobots and their newfound friends. It was the start of a new adventure for the two groups. No one else would be able to experience the exciting and scary challenges they were going to face ahead of them. No one would understand because no one would know except for them.

" _ **We will defend ourselves. We will defend humanity.**_

But it didn't matter what would occur in future. Because whatever they would face, they would face them together. They would stick together like glue. The Decepticons may bring them harm, but they will dodge them, even fight them if they had no choice. It didn't matter. As long as they had each other, they would be able to get through anything.

" _ **We will defend our home."**_

And they wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

I probably will not get another chapter of this story out until about a week and a half from now when my holidays start.

At the end of the last chapter, I raised the idea about the original chapters that are important to this story. I can confirm that the next chapter for this will be an original chapter so I may end up not being able to post it until the holidays anyway if I get a case of writer's block. Almost very likely that I will. So don't expect a chapter from me right away, but don't be too alarmed as it is just an original chapter. Nothing special. ;)

Follows/favourites/reviews bring me happiness.

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 11/07/2019** )


	6. Chpt 6: New Addition (O)

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

I deeply apologise for not posting when I said I would. Last holidays, a family member of mine went into hospital after suffering a stroke. So those holidays and the first few weeks of the second term for me were full on dealing with them and school. School work then took up the bulk of the term so unfortunately my mind was still elsewhere. And in the last week, I've had to say goodbye to a friend moving countries and a friend ended up in hospital after collapsing. So this term has been full on for me and I apologise once more for not keeping my promises. But unfortunately that is the way life goes and I pulled myself away on purpose to concentrate and get mentally better.

As stated in the last chapter, this one is an original chapter. And while I did say that there was nothing special happening in this one... I kinda lied... You'll just have to read to see what I mean.

Thank you to Minate Namikaze for following/favouriting this story.

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.

\- Windswept, Carly Esquivel and Rebecca Rose belong to me.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The past week was full of many up and downs. The return of Megatron, the demise of Megatron... oh, and the arrival of our four new friends. I just couldn't believe how much our lives had changed.

Our bonds with our human friends were growing and strengthening every day. I now know that Carly and Raf come from a huge family that consisted of both their parents, an older sister, an older brother and a sister whose age was between Carly and Raf. I think my charge is the third eldest child of the Esquivel family and her brother is the youngest.

Carly found something funny about her family during her explanation - Raf was the only one who looked more like their mother more than anyone else in their family. The rest of them looked more like their, apparently, black-haired, tanned skinned father. Even Carly had picked up the tan skin off of him!

Although, she did pick up the same brown hair colour off her mother. So, I guess I could say that she had features from both parents. Oh, and she didn't pick up the red-rimmed square glasses that her mother and Raf wear.

The only members that I had met of the Esquivel family were Raf, Carly and their mother. The older sister, Pilar I think her name was, popped into the garage once and noticed me, but apart from that, I hadn't meet the rest of them. Carly mentioned her Dad worked a lot and her eldest brother worked with him too.

I was watching the sun rise up when a chill raced up and down my spine. No, not one of those chills telling me something was wrong, but one of those 'something good might happen today' chills. I hoped my spine was correct.

Very large footsteps approached behind me, making me briefly glance over my shoulder. I wasn't too surprised to find the Autobot leader making his presence.

"Windswept," He greeted me with a nod, taking a look out towards the rising sun.

"Good morning Optimus," I greeted back, folding my arms behind me, "Recharge well knowing that Megatron is no more?"

He let out what I believed was a mix between a sigh of relief and a sigh of trouble, "Despite his demise, I cannot say that I recharged better than most nights."

"Oh, I understand, I mean, when you're the Autobot leader, surely it must take its' toll on you?"

The red and blue Autobot leader paused, causing me to look up at him and wonder why he hasn't replied to my question.

"Shouldn't you be making you're way out to pick up Carly?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you changing the subject on me?"

Optimus only looked down at me, also raising an eyebrow... Okay, I'm overstepping here.

"Right, yeah, I think it's about time I headed off. Gotta go see my new friend." I walked away from Optimus to the elevator that would take me down to one of the corridors inside the base.

"Windswept?" I looked over my shoulder, starring at the back of Optimus' frame. "It... certainly takes its' toll." He turned his helm towards me. "But know that I will never falter at the challenges we will face as a team."

I nodded at the answer that Optimus provided for me, his words swirling through my head as the elevator began its descent into the base.

We know you won't falter Optimus. You're our leader, the one we turn to for your guidance. Just like you turn to us for support. You won't fail as long was we are with you.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Meanwhile, deep into the heart of space, a flying object was floating around silently. The object looked to be the size of a meteor, maybe similar to the Dark Energon supply Megatron through into the Spacebridge in an attempt to reanimate the dead Cybertronians on Cybertron.

But this possible meteor looked larger than that supply. As it continued to float around, it revealed a small red logo on the underside of it.

A small red Autobot logo.

The meteor was an Autobot escape pod from Cybertron.

Suddenly, blaster fire began raining down upon the pod. The sudden rush spun the flying object around, but none of the blaster fire hit it. It was until a Cybertronian jet flew over the pod that it caught some of the wind gust, thus the air pushing it forwards suddenly. It began flying further and further into space.

The jet paused, watching the escape pod. The jet was mostly black with hot pink flames dancing around the wings and up to the cockpit.

Seeing where the Cybertronian pod was flying, the jet chuckled to itself, immediately following the pod's course to a blue and green planet in the far off distance.

Earth.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"Soooooooooooo," Carly began, extending the letter 'o' in the small word as we began our drive to Autobot base, "What are we doing today?"

Super eager as always, the teenage girl was ready to head to base. It seemed that the more we went there, the more happier she was becoming. I presumed it was because she was getting to spend more time with her close friend and little her brother.

But that was at first.

Now it seemed that every time she turned up at base, the first person she went to go see, and talk to I might add, was none other than Arcee's charge Jack Darby.

I've become more convinced the past few days that Carly has feelings for that boy.

However, if I questioned her about, I was afraid that I was going to get my head bitten off.

She is an Esquivel, after all.

I performed a wheelie and listened to my friend cheering while I answered, "I dunno, Carly. Maybe we could go racing, or we could just cause some mayhem at base. Or we could chat about our backgrounds again?"

"If I do accept the last one, you promise me this time that you'll be the one doing the chatting?" Carly asked with a sly tone evident in her voice.

So she picked up on the fact that I've ditched every question she's been asking about me and turned the conversation back on her, huh?

I sighed cheekily, "You're not as silly as I thought you were."

"Oh, Windswept, have you met me?!" the girl asked with the same tone, "I'm a lot smarter than people think I am." Then her voice quickly changed. "And hopefully, I'll be able to prove _**that**_ to that woman the next time I see her."

"Carly? What woman? Who are you talking about?" When she refused to answer me straight away, I started getting concerned. "What's going on Carly?"

My brown-haired charge seemed hesitant to answer. She continued to stay silent. I couldn't allow her to stay silent like this, it was worrying me too much. I slammed the brakes on hard, skidding to a stop in the middle of the road between Jasper and Autobot base.

"What the hell, 'Swept?!"

"Carly!"

She went to yell at me again, but she paused for a moment, collecting herself together. Probably thinking better of it than to yell at me.

Something was clicking over the radio, like someone was going to get into contact with me. I ignored it. It was probably nothing really. Probably just Ratchet asking me how long it was taking me to get to base.

As Carly rested for the moment, I allowed her the break. To be honest, I felt that I had pushed her too hard. I should've just left her alone about the whole thing. But this might be a serious issue, one that I might have to deal with myself if it's an issue that's out of her control.

I heard her sigh and I flicked up my rear-view mirror, pointing at her helmet covered face. Finally she spoke, "Last week, with all that drama with the 'Cons, I...uhhhh, we, rather... we me-"

"Windswept? What are you still doing out here?"

Driving around to see the person who spoke, Carly and I came face to face with a slowly braking Arcee and Jack, parking up near us on the white line separating the lanes.

"What do you mean?" I asked my Autobot friend with a confusing tone, "We have plenty of time to get to base."

"You may think so, but we don't! Didn't you get the radio transmission from Ratchet?"

Ohhhhh, so that's what that clicking noise from my radio was earlier...

Whoops...

"No, I ignored it," I told her, "I thought it was just him checking on how long we were gonna take to get to base." Then the urgency in her voice reminded me that something was happening, "Come on, drive and talk, drive and talk."

She sped ahead as I collected some pace and spun around, driving into the right direction since I'm heading towards Autobot base.

While Jack and Carly greeted each other and began talking above us, no surprise there, I immediately commed Arcee.

" _ **So what's going on?**_ "

" _ **Ratchet's picked up a strange signal entering Earth's atmosphere. Optimus wants to scout the area before its' arrival on this planet's soil.**_ "

Scrap. Sounded serious.

I guess my chat with Carly was going to have to wait a little while longer.

" _ **Has he picked up on what it could be,**_ " I asked.

" _ **At first, he thought it was a simple meteor that was going to fly by Earth. But something disrupted it and the disruption changed the meteor's course. Now that it's heading towards Earth, the signal appears larger than what he thought,**_ " Arcee explained.

What'd I tell you? Those chills down my back can certainly pick it, huh?

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The Autobots weren't the only ones to pick up the strange and growing signal heading towards Earth. The eyes and ears of the Decepticons known as Soundwave was flashing the moving signal on his screen, immediately catching the attention of the new leaders of the team.

"Well, what do you expect us to do with it?" Starscream asked, clueless as to what to do with the signal still in orbit.

Soundwave zoomed in closer on the signal, revealing it to be a Cybertronian escape pod.

"Ahhh, an escape pod from our once thriving world," Slipstream noted. Then she zoomed her own optics in on the pod, finding a blurry red symbol on the side of the object. She zoomed out with a chuckle, "An Autobot escape pod."

"Another Autobot that we can torment?" Rebecca asked eagerly, appearing out of nowhere when she heard about the signal.

Slipstream looked at the human immediately in disgrace, "Is that all you can think about? The second we get wind about an Autobot, or a human for that matter, all you-" She paused to glance at her brother, who chuckled nervously at the looks he keeps being given. "And him want to do is torment them!"

Starscream and Rebecca exchanged glances and shrugs.

"Is that such a big deal?" Starscream questioned, shaking nervously at the death glare still being given to him by his sister.

"I bet you've done it to one of the Autobots in your time during the war," Rebecca smirked knowingly.

Slipstream went to argue, but quickly realised that the human was right. She had tormented a few Autobots during the war for Cybertron. Her lips curled into a smirk as she remembered a few of those Autobots, some she knew were still alive... and others who died during the torment she brought upon them.

"See?" The blue and purple Decepticon glared at the not-exact human in defeat.

The monitor began beeping, breaking up the small squabble between the trio of Decepticons. Looking at the monitor, Rebecca gasped at what the scan had brought up.

"There's a Decepticon signal trailing after that pod!"

"Soundwave, see if you can make contact with Decepticon signal," Starscream immediately requested, turning to the always silent Decepticon, "We must remain one step of the Autobots as much as possible."

"That step will need to be pretty huge if we wanna stay ahead of the 'Bots," Rebecca muttered, arms crossed and rolling her eyes at the monitor.

Behind her, the twin Decepticons just glared at the back of her head in frustration. Why did that stuck-up human always have a smart aft comment to say?

Soundwave managed to provide the request given to him by the new Lord of the Decepticons. His face provided a radio transmission. All that needed to happen was to make contact with the Decepticon signal.

Slipstream decided that she was going to be the first to make contact, moving over to stand in front of Soundwave, "Decepticon Warship to unknown Decepticon signal, introduce yourself."

" _ **Well, well, well. It's been a long time since I've heard that voice.**_ "

Slipstream widened her optics, an angry expression crashing over her faceplates.

"You."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

When Arcee, Jack, Carly and I arrived at Autobot base, Ratchet was quick to fill us in on the details. From what he's noticed about the so-called meteor, he was unsure of what it could possible be. But he stressed that if the object turned out to be an escape pod of some sorts, we had to be very careful as the thing that could come out from it might not be friendly.

When Optimus was making his decision who take with him, it felt like Ratchet was just dying to kick one of us back out onto the field already!

And, fortunately for him, he managed to kick me out onto the field with Optimus and Bumblebee.

The Prime decided against bringing Arcee and Bulkhead, having decided that they should be available for if we need to bring backup onto the field.

And with Bulkhead back at base, I could only presume that Ratchet and Arcee weren't taking any chances, given what happened the last he was left alone at base with the humans...

I was on his side of course. It seemed like Miko was going to be trouble from the start. And she only confirmed when she went out on the battlefield with her guardian a week ago. She'd only known Bulkhead for not even a full twenty four hours and yet, she was already trusting him with her life!

Carly wasn't much better, but she gave me her word that she not intending to go out on the battlefield any time soon...

... Unless it was to bring back a screaming and kicking Miko back to base.

The coordinates Ratchet provided for the Groundbridge lead us out to a very clustered and somewhat claustrophobic forest. Remember when I was with Optimus and Ratchet on that quest that lead us to the battlefield of dead Cybertronians and I mentioned that fog that I said had felt like it was choking my neck?

It kind of felt like that. But this time, I was being stabbed in the stomach by the branches that continued to pop out of nowhere.

As we continued walking, being mindful of the terrain which kept switching between flat and rocky, I looked over at Optimus, who was navigating his way over a small river we had come across.

"Had the object entered Earth's atmosphere when Ratchet caught its' signal?"

"When the signal first appeared, Ratchet had suggested it was targeting Earth's atmosphere. But since his tracking of it, he has since stated the so-called meteor has already entered our atmosphere."

" **It could land at any moment?** " Bumblebee bleeped his question, wanting to be involved into the conversation.

As he asked his question, he reached a servo out for me to grab as we traversed over the surprisingly wide river. On the other side of it was a large hill that was too steep for my short stature. So Bumblebee, being the gentlemech he was, helped get across and up the unnaturally large hill.

Human nature's weird. But the human's would probably think the nature was weird on Cybertron. So who am I to judge?

"Indeed Bumblebee," Optimus nodded at our scout as we continued, "We must be prepared for its' landing."

I agreed with Optimus. When the meteor was to make its impending landing, it would land violently, disrupting the peace in the surrounding areas and possibly cause the Earth to move shakily. Kind of what the humans would call an earthquake, but without widespread damage, causalities and deaths I suppose.

Then there's the fact the movement wouldn't be called an earthquake since the so-called tectonitic... or was it tectonic? Anyway, the whatever-they-were-called plates won't be moving below the Earth's surface, thus not being called an earthquake.

... What? Carly tells me things and I listen! That's what friends do, right?

Speaking of, I had to remember to talk to Carly as soon as we would return. The person that she had been speaking of this morning was really bothering her and I knew that something had to be done about it. Before any of us do anything stupid, talking was the best, and the first, direction to go in.

The loud noise above us made us look up at the sky. Through the suffocating green leaves, we could make out the orange flames licking around the meteor as it flew across the blue sky.

"Get ready for the collision," I warned quietly as we looked towards the trees ahead of us.

With his mouth guard activated, Optimus began running towards the direction the meteor was heading in. Bumblebee and I followed with a nod.

There was a strong chance the Decepticons had also picked up the signal and were also coming out to play. So we had to be on our guard at all times and to make sure that there weren't any distractions around us.

We paused when the ground below our feet began to wobble. Trees began waving their branches around a bit more and any birds that were flying around or in the trees squawked with fright, flying away from the scene at rapid speeds. Any other animals that were around would've taken off as well, thought I suppose they would scattered the second they heard of us coming.

Regaining our footing, the shaking began to subside before it eventually passed through, ready to rock the ground behind us.

Checking over of us with a simple glance, Optimus locked his eyes forwards, "Autobots, maximum overdrive."

I swear that was becoming his new catchphrase.

We transformed into our vehicle forms, Optimus in his Peterbuilt truck semi, Bumblebee in his Urbana 500 vehicle and I into my Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle and sped off. The scenery had backed off on the trees at this point, and there was a slight clearing ahead in the distance. Nothing but flat terrain.

And no rivers.

Perfect for a good drive.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The landing zone the escape pod landed upon wasn't strong enough to hold the entire impact of the Cybertronian pod. It dug deep into the ground, creating a rough circle surrounding the meteor-shaped object.

A lone black bird swooped down to the pod, landing on top of it and inspecting the object. Its' clawed feet struggled to get a hold of the metal exterior, causing the bird to instead fly over to the ground and inspect the damage the pod made created.

Loud banging from inside the pod caused the lone bird to fly away in fright, squawking as it flew over to a tree, now wonky from the damage the object made upon impact. It watched as a part of the pod was slammed open on the inside, creating a hole for whoever was inside of it.

The occupant crawled out of the escape pod now through the self-created doorway. The Cybertronian groaned from being in stasis for so long, stretching their arms. It was good to get out and be free!

They turned around and inspected the damage of the pod and around the area it destroyed.

"Oh my," a small, very feminine voice whispered, bringing a small hand to her face, her small fingers barely touching her lips.

Looking around at the area her Cybertronian pod landed in, the femme's curiosity peaked, beginning her walk into the forest...

* * *

Meanwhile, landing in a dark area of the same forest that the Autobots and the lone Cybertronian were in, unknown to them, the black and hot pink Cybertronian jet landed, the air blowing around the leaves on the trees and the small plants on the ground.

The jet growled to itself, "Scrap it."

The aerial vehicle transformed into its true Cybertronian form. The frame of the Cybertronian was fully black except for the hot pink flames dancing up their arms and legs. At the side of their left hip was a large purple Decepticon insignia.

Thus, confirming their status as a Decepticon warrior.

The Decepticon took a look around at their surroundings. It seemed they had arrived at a bare patch of the forest, standing in nothing but brown dirt that expanded in a circle around them. Nothing but lifeless trees surrounded them.

What disappointed them was what they were following up in space had seemingly disappeared before their eyes. The Decepticon realised that since the signal had disappeared, the escape pod must have crash-landed, knocking its sensor out of whack in the process.

The Decepticon kicked a small rock in front of them in frustration. They had the Autobot before their eyes!

Suddenly, they felt a rush of wind blowing around them as the trees began to blow. The lifeless plants around them also blew at the sudden gusts of wind.

Looking up, they spotted the second thing they were looking for. Transforming back into its jet form, it began flying to the Decepticon Warship above.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I quickly started to believe that maybe the Decepticons were playing jokes on us. We had been driving for ages and ages and there were no signs on the meteor we were trying to find.

Would the 'Con's really got to all that trouble of faking the movement of the ground to make us believe that the meteor had landed?

Probably. I mean, look who's leading the Decepticons now!

We eventually drove out into a clearing. The forest continued on the other side of this massive dull patch of green. But that was all I got to see before I spotted the massive ditch in the ground.

Where we all presumed the meteor had landed.

Transforming into our Cybertronian forms, Optimus, Bumblebee and I activated our blasters just in case something or someone hostile was still in the ditch. We stalked up it slowly, spreading ourselves out as a precautionary measure.

We came to the edge of the ground at the same time, discovering that what Ratchet thought was meteor turned out to be something a bit more bigger than that. It turned out to be something I haven't seen since I was the last to join Team Prime in one of these things.

A Cybertronian escape pod.

Flashes of the last days of Cybertron leaped into my vision. Flashes of Alpha Trion saying goodbye. Flashes of the escape pod waiting for me. Flashes of the last moments with my closest friend back on my home planet...

" **Hey 'Swept!** " I shook my head out of those flashes at the beeping and whirrs coming from Bumblebee. He waved and indicated at me to join him, " **Get in here! You gotta see this!** "

"Be careful you two," Optimus warned, glancing at the pair of us.

Nodding, I leaped down into the massive circular ditch, stretching out my arm with my blaster on it in case we were in for a surprise attack. I joined Bumblebee and we slowly circled the pod, splitting apart to head around it in different directions.

When I reached the other side to meet up with the scout, I was surprised to find that I wouldn't meet up with him exactly as I thought. Separating us was a massive hole blown outwards from the inside of the pod.

As Bumblebee searched inside it, I looked up Optimus, "Whoever's crashed landed has escaped from the pod! Be careful Optimus!"

He nodded at my warning, looking around the forest when suddenly, his blasters pointed at something across the ditch from him. Looking at the other side of the ditch with Bumblebee, we exchanged a knowing look and silently scaled up at the ditch.

Nodding at one another, we leaped up to the flat ground ahead, pointing at the enemy before us.

I gasped at the sight... I know who this is!

Standing before us was a femme. She had sky blue optics and was mostly a pale pink colour with white swirls dancing around her frame. She had a large, silver Autobot logo on the side of her right hip. I looked down to her feet, a small smile appearing on my face. She still had her small heels at the bottoms of feet in an attempt to make her taller. It did help a little - it helped her become my height.

I looked back at the femme, who was holding out a knife she used a weapon. She paused in her actions, also looking up and down my frame.

"Windswept?" Her angelic voice whispered in recognition.

The smile on my face grew that little bit wider, "Starlight."

Starlight's hands flew to her mouth, dropping her knife. I jogged up to her, grabbing her arms and checking over her. Starlight was like my little sister, like family. Poor thing, she must've been in that escape pod for a very long time for her to be reacting this way. It must be the first time she's seen Cybertronian life apart from herself.

I pulled her into a tight hug.

Was this really happening? Was one of my old partners, and one of my close friends, from Cybertron here?

I released small happy tears quietly as Starlight shuddered in my arms.

"Thank goodness you're here," The femme snivelled.

"I got you, Star," I comforted her, rubbing her back, "You're safe now."

Optimus' heavy footsteps got my attention behind me. I pulled out of the hug, smiling softly at the femme.

"Windswept, please introduce us to your friend," Optimus requested kindly, seeing how upset Star and I were.

The good kind of upset though.

Starlight looked up at the Prime and straightened up at the sight of him upon realisation the he was, in fact, Optimus Prime. Saluting to him, she stood in a soldier stature, "Designation: Starlight, Sir."

"At ease, soldier," Optimus told her.

Starlight eased up, but still kept a straight posture on her. Behind her, Bumblebee whirred when he picked up the weapon she had dropped.

" **I believe this belongs to you.** "

Starlight turned around, gasping at the sight of her dropped knife – or maybe it was at the sight of Bumblebee surprising her – either way, she grabbed the knife out of his hands with a shy smile, "Oh, thank you so much... uhmmm..."

" **Bumblebee.** "

"Bumblebee," My friend repeated as if she was making sure to remember his name.

"Welcome to Earth, Starlight," Optimus Prime announced to her, "When we are ready, we would like you to return to base to answer a few questions."

Starlight nodded, "Of course, Optimus. I am ready to head off when you are."

"Ratchet, open the Groundbridge and stand by for our discovery," Optimus spoke into the comm-link.

As the swirling portal opened before us, I remembered the questions that Optimus asked me upon my arrival onto planet Earth. He had asked me what my designation was, how I got myself onto the escape pod and asked what I knew since my leaving of Cybertron. I was unable to answer the last question due to me being locked in stasis my whole journey from our former home world to our new home world. I only awoke when I landed in my escape pod out in the desert of Jasper, Nevada.

Optimus and Bumblebee walked through the Groundbridge first before I allowed Starlight to ahead of me. I looked around, making sure that no one was in sight before walking in after our growing team.

Immediately, upon walking through the Groundbridge and into the Autobot base, poor Starlight was bombarded by the excitable Miko, who was at the edge of the balcony already greeting and asking questions to the femme.

"Hiya! I'm Miko! Who are you? Do you have any neat-o weapons? You look really pretty!"

Well, that last one was a compliment...

"Huh, uhhh, thank you?" Starlight thanked nervously, obviously out of her comfort zone by Miko's brashness attitude.

"Ignore her, she's just trying to make new friends," Carly teased with a laugh, joining Miko at the protective bars. While her friend glared at her, Carly simply ignored it, "Though take her last sentence as a compliment. She **hates** the colour pink!"

"I don't hate the colour, exactly," Miko began protesting, "It's too girly is what I'm saying."

"Give up now while you're ahead Miko," Jack advised, him and Raf joining the girls, "You're losing."

Starlight looked at me with a mix of panic and confusion and side of 'please help.'

"Starlight, these are our new human companions. Jack, Carly and Raf. You've already met Miko," I introduced her to the humans, who waved at Starlight. She waved back nervously. Then we looked over at the rest of the Autobot team she hadn't meet yet, "Meet Arcee and Bulkhead. You remember our favourite medic Ratchet."

Ratchet just shrugged off the introduction while Bulkhead and Arcee smiled before the latter's face turned neutral.

That was understandable. Arcee didn't know who Starlight was and probably feared the thought of her turning out to be a Decepticon spy in Autobot armour. But I trusted my instincts. This was Starlight. It had to be!

Though, just in case, I did take a small step closer to the humans. Just in case.

"Your arrival on Earth was very sudden, Starlight," Optimus began, giving Starlight the idea of continuing.

"It was indeed," She nodded in agreement, "I have no idea what happened. The last thing I remember on Cybertron was stumbling upon the escape pod suddenly when I was fighting a Decepticon wave. They must have overpowered me or did something. Because the next thing I know, I'm in an escape pod floating around helplessly. I woke up from stasis still in transit when something hit the pod and knocked me back out again. Next thing I knew, I was smashing the escape pod open and trying to figure out where in the world I was."

"So you've been on a tough ride, huh?" Arcee asked slyly, still not convinced.

Optimus gave a 'stand-down' glance to Arcee, who shrugged in response, before looking back at Starlight, "Did you see who it was who sent your escape pod to Earth?"

"See, that's why I got out of the pod. I would've thought that whoever hit me would be waiting to take advantage of the situation. They must of lost the signal when I crash-landed."

" **The beacon was damaged when we discovered it. It must have gotten damage during the crash** ," Bumblebee suggested through his beeps and whirrs.

Starlight nodded in agreement.

"What'd he say?" Miko asked quietly behind us.

"The beacon was damaged when he and 'Swept discovered the pod. It must have gotten damaged upon landing," Carly repeated quietly.

"Ohhhhh."

"Starlight, we would be honoured if you would join our team in our quest to stop the Decepticons. But here on this planet, we use vehicle forms to travel outside of our base. It would be best if you also followed the procedure and acquired a vehicle mode before we can start sending you out on patrol and missions," Optimus insisted to the new arrival.

I didn't wanna muck about! Let's go now! "Open the Groundbridge, Ratch. Star and I can head out now!" I wrapped an arm around Starlight's shoulders, "And the sooner we can get you a vehicle form, the sooner we can head out missions together. Like old times!"

Starlight smiled as brightly as she could, "Yeah, like old times."

* * *

One thing I forgot about Starlight was how picky she could be with EVERYTHING. We had been out here, watching the traffic go past us on the highway on this cliff for nearly three hours now. Nothing suited Starlight's style or body form.

Since Starlight was, on a technicality given those little pink heels on her feet gives her a small boost, mine and Arcee's height, she needed a motorcycle form that suited her frame.

Nothing came past us on the highway that she was immediately jumping to. And when something appropriate for her did zoom past, she merely shrugged at it and made a comment about how it was 'too bulky' or 'not flash enough' and even the straight up one 'I don't like it'.

That was Starlight, picky and honest. But sweet. As the human simile says, she's as sweet as sugar.

While we passed the time searching for an appropriate motorcycle form, we began to discuss recent times and how I've adjusted to living on Earth teaming with humans.

I must admit, it was a struggle adapting to life on this planet. Having to be cautious about what vehicles were actual vehicles and what vehicles were Decepticons in disguise. Having to be cautious in town when they're were humans around. Having to be cautious when both Decepticons in disguise AND humans were around. We were doing alright up to the point when Cliffjumper passed away and Arcee accidentally attracted a certain black-haired teenager to her right when the Decepticon drones were targeting her.

Seriously, we were doing good!

I mentioned how we had recently lost Cliffjumper and how we've had to change our tactics when it came to attacking the Decepticons scouting around Jasper in vehicle form. I mean, we all love Jack, Carly, Miko, Raf and sometimes Agent Fowler, but that's as far as it can go. We are not picking up any more humans.

Seriously, no more!

And then I discussed how we, the small team of Autobots growing slightly bigger by the week it seemed, destroyed Megatron's Spacebridge, Megatron's Dark Energon-powered army of the undead, and Megatron himself.

"Megatron's dead?" Starlight repeated in surprise, "Those are the two words I never thought I would ever hear."

"Me too," I agreed with a nod, "But, its true. He's well and truly gone."

Starlight suddenly stood up at the sight of a motorcycle speeding by.

"Gotcha!"

We sped through the desert and back to Jasper, Nevada. Now equipped with an Earth-appropriate vehicle form, a 2006 Suzuki GSXR 600 I think Star had said, we decided to put our speeds to the test.

I'm getting really sick of tying every time I race someone. Carly and I still haven't broken that tie with Jack and Arcee yet.

After our little race, I decided to show off some of the tricks Arcee and I have been teaching ourselves to teach Starlight.

Watch out world, don't be surprised when a blue motorcycle, a pink and white motorcycle and a red and blue, yep, you guessed it, motorcycle are performing wheelies down the highway.

It's just us being us.

We braked to catch our energy, Starlight laughing in her motorcycle form and pointed her front wheel towards me, "Seriously is this what you guys do all the time?!"

"Not all of the time-"

"How do you guys manage to defeat the Decepticons AND have a little fun on the side?"

A swirling Groundbridge portal came to life a few hundred feet from us before I could answer. Confused, we transformed into our Cybertronian forms and starred at the portal.

"Hey Ratch? I didn't ask for a Groundbridge portal."

" _ **Well, lucky for you, I didn't provide one,**_ " Ratchet sassed back.

My eyes widened, "Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh indeed." Starlight and I froze as the Decepticon presented herself to us.

I was expecting Slipstream at first, but the figure that appeared froze Starlight in place even further.

"Moonlight," Starlight greeted bitterly, gritting her denta.

"Starlight," The dark and pink Decepticon greeted with a smirk, "How nice to see you again."

Starlight and Moonlight. The Light Sisters.

Growing up, Starlight was the last born out of the two sisters, and was showered with attention constantly. Moonlight had an affinity of getting herself into trouble all the time, something their parents looked down upon. At the time, it was when the war was at its highest peak, so you could imagine just what exactly Moonlight could get up to.

After the murder of their parents during the human equivalent of their teenage years, Moonlight quickly defected to the Decepticons. Starlight quickly choose our side because of evidence suggesting that her family was destroyed by Decepticons. Upon discovering the sides they took on the battlefield, they both have been fighting one another ever since.

And before you start, don't go comparing mine and Slipstream's battle to theirs. Ours maybe on a personal level, but theirs is on a whole 'nother level of personal. It was a war within the family.

"Likewise," Starlight hissed.

Behind the black and pink Decepticon, two Decepticon drones stood on either side of Moonlight. The Groundbridge portal swirled shut behind them.

"And you, Windswept," Moonlight recognised, "I've heard much about you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

"I could say the same, but then I'd be lying," I snarled back.

Moonlight didn't take that too nicely, sending her Vehicons towards my direction. I rolled my eyes.

Seriously?

If you've heard so much about me, then you would know that I love a good challenge, Moonlight. Not a pathetic attempt at one.

The drones started their attack by charging towards me, activating their blasters and immediately firing shots towards my direction. I dodged them as well as I could, using my smallness as an advantage. When they got too close, I flipped over them. One stood there confused, but the other had watched me.

Performing a roundhouse kick, the drone got a foot in the face, falling to the ground almost instantly. The second one turned around in time to meet my fist, punching him hard in the faceplates. He fell front first on the ground, joining his friend.

The battle between the siblings must have started the second those drones came racing after me. They were so drawn into their personal vendetta, throwing punches and kicks left, right and centre.

The Light Sisters were well known for two things – agility and stamina. Each one of them were so thin from head to toe. They were able to perform moves Autobots like Bulkhead and probably Bumblebee could only dream of.

No offence to either of them.

And the two had the stamina of the strongest animal alive. They could go for ages and ages, battling one another like the world around them didn't exist.

Now, you would think Starlight was the one at the disadvantage with her sister being a head taller than her. But Star used it for her advantage, sneaking around her sister more quicker than the eldest one could pull move on her.

" _ **Windswept? Are you there? What's going on?**_ " Ratchet commed urgently.

My eyes widened, remembering that I had commed Ratchet earlier about the Groundbridge. Pressing a hand to my audio processor, I commed back before I could get distracted by the battle again, "Ratchet, we need a 'bridge back now!"

At the request, the swirling green and blue portal came to life behind us.

" **The Groundbridge is ready and waiting.** "

Nodding at the knowledge this 'Bridge was ours, I looked over at the battle that had suddenly swung into Starlight's favour. Moonlight must have been distracted by the Gportal opening up and Starlight must have taken advantage of it.

Moonlight was now on the ground, crawling backwards in an attempt to get away from a furious Starlight, who was holding one of her knives behind her back.

Starlight's knives were special to her. Those Kunai knives were amongst the rare set of weapons you could find on Cybertron. She carried around a trio of them on her hip all the time.

Starlight gripped the hot pink handle tightly in her hand. The blade was dark pink with a black peak riding up the middle, her thumb peaking through the small circle gap at the end of the handle, ensuring her tight hold on the knife before going in for the kill.

Already, Starlight?

"Star! Come on! We gotta go!"

She didn't listen, raising her knife up...

"STARLIGHT!"

She still didn't listen, but it froze her in place for the moment.

I knew I had to take action.

Unfurling my blaster, I fired a couple of warning shots at Moonlight, the momentary distraction allowing Starlight to realise what she was doing. She placed her knife back on her hip and back flipped away from her sister, transforming into her recently acquired vehicle form. Following suit, I allowed her to enter the Groundbridge first before speeding after her, making sure she didn't turn back.

In my mirror, the last thing I saw of Moonlight was her standing up and brushing off the dust on her frame before the sight of the main room of Autobot base filled my front view.

We transformed back into our Cybertronian forms just as the Groundbridge closed behind us. I turned my attentions to Starlight, hands on my hips and with an angry expression on my face.

And when I have my hands on my hips AND an angry expression on my faceplates, that's when you know that I mean some serious business.

"What the heck were you think, Starlight? You haven't been here twelve hours and you've already fallen back into one bad habit!" I scolded.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Starlight was quickly apologising, "I let my anger of my offline parents get the better of me."

Optimus walked up, pressing a hand on Star's shoulder, "I do not know what happened, Starlight. And I have no doubt that I will be filled in. But you mustn't let your anger control your emotions."

Starlight nodded in defeat, "I'm sorry, sir. I-I'll try to not allow my emotions get the better of me again."

It was a sentence not worth saying to be honest. But knowing that she'll try sounds supposedly better than nothing.

It was then that I realised the cuts and scars Starlight had earned herself from the recent battle. I wasn't the only one to notice.

"Come here, Starlight. I'll patch you up," Ratchet said to her softly, guiding her towards the med-bay.

Snapping at her probably wasn't the best thing to do, especially with the humans in the room too, but after the past week with the loss of Cliffjumper and the near loss of Arcee, I blamed my anger on the fact that we didn't want to lose, or nearly lose another member of our small Autobot team.

As everyone went about their business, my eyes found my human charge, reminding me that Carly and I had started a conversation that we had yet to finish.

We made eye contact and her eyes immediately knew what was about to occur.

"You, me, corridor, now," I instructed, pointing at the corridor leading down to all of Team Prime's individual berthrooms.

Carly nodded instantly, heading towards the steps.

Behind her, Miko laughed and Jack smirked, "Oooooooh Carly's in trouble!"

The brown-haired girl stuck her tongue out at the response to her friends, nearing the end of the steps. When she was on the ground, I allowed her to go first into the corridor, shortly trailing after her.

Man I was being kind to everyone today.

"Alright you," I began when we were out of hearing reach, bending down to meet Carly's eyes, "Tell your new best friend what's going on."

The teenage girl smirked at me for a moment before her face became serious, "Last week, when we meet you guys and, you know, went through all that scrap and everything. But you forgot to mention one person on the Decepticon side."

My face twisted up in confusion.

"Rebecca? Rebecca Rose?"

She's still alive?

Oh scrap.

"Windswept? She's stronger and faster than the average human! What aren't you telling me?"

I sighed, "Six years ago, before Megatron's disappearance, we went out to check this signal and found Energon directly underneath a human home out in the country. The Decepticons had picked up the same signal and we had no choice but to fight them to save the human family..." I choked up a little. This was where it got a little tough. "The Decepticons had planted an explosive at the scene moments before we had arrived and as we were fighting, we set off the explosive. The explosion killed the two human adults instantly, but their small, eleven year old daughter survived, despite being in a critical condition and probably had no chance on survival. The Decepticons took her before we could get to her.

"The Decepticons called her Project R and experimented many, many unknown things on her to bring her back to life. They were successful, but the experiments gave her abilities out of her control. Over time, she must have been able to master them. We first assumed that, after discovering her a year after the incident, that she wouldn't have survived all the procedures that she had gone through and that her body would eventually react and self destruct. We never saw her after that... Five years later, it would seem she survived." Arcee confirmed a sighting to me in private after returning from resucing Agent Fowler. She wasn't really convinced since they didn't recognise her. I looked down at my charge. "Did you meet her?"

"Yeah, we all met her. She warned us that we would be seeing a lot more of each other in the future," Carly answered.

"And she probably isn't wrong," I couldn't help but agree with the statement.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Moonlight, you may enter."

The Decepticon femme did as she was told, entering the main room of the Decepticon Warship.

She had let her sister get away again, dammit! Now the next time she had to go out to battle, there was a very good chance that she would have to come up against her again. The thought of it made her Energon boil in anger.

But then a smirk appeared one her faceplates as a certain thought entered her mind.

If only her sister knew.

Looking down at the new Decepticon leaders, Moonlight bowed to their height, "My Master." Looking up to her left, she stood to full height with a disgraced look upon her features. "Slipstream."

Enraged, the dark and blue femme folded her arms behind her back silently, her eyes looking sharply at the femme as if she could destroy the Decepticon with her own optics.

Well, she wished.

Starscream, happily proud at the fact he was being referred to as the main 'master', looked up at the new arrival with a questioning, but happy look, "So, how did the fight with your sister and her friend go?"

"She hasn't changed a single bit, Lord Starscream," Moonlight replied, "She's still well aware of my strengths and weaknesses. Fortunately for me, I'm still well aware of her strengths and weaknesses. Fear not Starscream, I'm looking forward to the day when I get to destroy her."

Suddenly, the doors down at the end of the corridor opened, revealing a floating Rebecca, who was using her hoverboard to storm across the corridor angrily. When she arrived at the trio of Decepticons at the monitor, her attentions were quickly placed on the dark and purple Decepticon.

"You didn't show for training."

Slipstream looked up at the girl, "I apologise, Rebecca Rose. It would appear that I have been recently caught up with the recent recruit."

"Apologising isn't good enough Slipstream. I was waiting in that room for hours. You know today's the day we start extending my abilities that tiny bit further. And you couldn't even turn up for that!"

"I understand that it is your seventeenth birthday, Rebecca, but I explained to you that I have been busy meeting with the new recruit! Now excuse me, it would seem that I need to get some fresh air." With that rant, the Decepticon femme marched over to the other side of the room and exited out swiftly.

The Decepticon trio looked at the door Slipstream had just exited out of with disbelief and amusement.

"I apologise for my sister's attitude. As of late, it would seem that the death of the former Lord Megatron has been affecting her harder than it has everyone else."

Moonlight raised an eyebrow, looking at the new leader of the Decepticons, "Was she still trying to drape herself all over Megatron?"

"You noticed that two huh?" Rebecca asked knowingly.

"Of course! You should've seen her on Cybertron. She wanted Megatron all to herself from the day she first met him!" Moonlight explained, "But unfortunately, he wanted something a bit more better. He wanted power." Then the black and hot pink femme flashed a smirk, her hands falling onto her hips. "Oh, and me of course."

"You and Megatron getting it on in the background?" Rebecca questioned with glee.

"Whenever we could."

Rebecca's eyes shone at the new information that came to light, removing her hoverboard and resting on Moonlight's shoulder, "Tell me more! Tell me more!"

"Well, it all started the day I joined the Decepticons. Right then, I knew very well that Megatron wanted me..."

Starscream failed to listen to any more gossip as the two Decepticon females wandered away from him and down to the end of the room to the door his twin sister had just stormed out of minutes ago.

The recent discoveries that had just been unearthed proved to him not only the fact that Megatron's death was indeed affecting his twin far more than it affected everyone, but also explained why Slipstream wasn't too pleased with Moonlight's arrival.

It was then that Starscream knew that everything had changed...

* * *

Yeeeaaaahhhhhhhhh, so I added some extra spice to this already spicy mixture of a story I've got writing for you. I'm not sure what went through my mind writing this, but ehhh, I'll resolve in about five, six chapters time maybe.

I apologise once more for the delay. I hope to be writing more for these next two weeks as I'm holiday. I do have a first aid course on Tuesday and Wednesday so you can definitely scrub those days out. But even when I'm not writing, I will be planning things for the next chapters beyond the next one. Some of the future chapters are already being pre-written as we speak - I'm currently up to 'Operation: Breakdown'. And by pre-written, I kind of mean planning what is going to occur to and already writing drafts for them.

So with that little bit in mind, I can confirm that there will be at least two more original chapters for this story. You'll know that they're original because they will have this little symbol beside the chapter title: (O)

Thank you for sticking by me so far and I do hope you continue as I push to get to more of these chapters out for you. Follows/favourites/reviews keep me motivated when life decides to not throw everything my way.

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 08/03/2019** )


	7. Chpt 7: Masters & Students

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

I had serious intentions about about updating this story for weeks, but unfortunately life got a little busy again. I had been seriously ill throughout the June and July with the winter flus and whatnot, and they decided to leave me a goodbye present once I had finally gotten over them. I was rushed into the doctors a few weeks ago with gastritis, which is when the acid that normally digests the food is getting through to the stomach lining and making things very painful. Last couple of weeks I've been on meds, a little bit of bed rest and on a little bit of a food watch too.

I've got some free time on me right now as I've had mock exams for this past week and will continue until Tuesday. The last couple of days I've spent them studying, but now I'm free to do anything now I've completed those mocks. So I decided 'Hey! Why not update this story!"

Thank you to GRAVEM1ND for following this story.

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.

\- Windswept and the slowly growing list of OC's belong to me.

(Chapter Title: The Master VS The Student)

* * *

The Spacebridge was in sight, Megatron floating around before it and waiting for his Terracon army to come to the surface. But when explosions around the area made their presence, it was too late for the former leader of the Decepticons to do a single thing as the portal exploded in a blue ball.

"Such a shame." The explosion paused suddenly, revealing to be video footage that had recorded the incident merely a week and a half ago.

Rebecca was keeping count.

The girl had found a new friend in the Decepticons' recent recruit Moonlight, who had made her mark on the Warship immediately, already earning the respect of many of the Vehicons that followed the Decepticon cause.

Slipstream normally couldn't care less about recent developments. But in this case, it was on her mind just as much as Megatron's death was.

Moonlight was already taking over. And it wouldn't be long before her position would be threatened.

As she reviewed the footage of the once alive Megatron, Starscream beside her made his remarks about the former Warlord.

"But I applaud you, Megatron. You certainly made a grand exit."

The footage of the explosion played ahead, its' shock-waves going for miles and miles throughout the solar system.

The silver and red Decepticon looked over his shoulder just in time to find Soundwave walking up to the new leaders of the Decepticons behind them. "Ahh, Soundwave," he greeted, looking back at the monitors "Cue the audio/visual. Slipstream and I wish to address the troops."

Soundwave, like always, didn't say a word, nodding slightly and fulfilling the request given to him.

Inside various rooms of the Decepticon warships, Decepticon drones were typing furiously, control screens full of Cybertronian words only they could understand. They were searching for Energon, searching for Decepticon signals, searching for any Autobot activity that needed their leaders attention. Their work was halted, however, when the faces of Lord Starscream and Lady Slipstream appeared on their screens.

" _ **The loss of Megatron, leader of a great Decepticon uprising is certainly a blow to our cause,**_ " Starscream's voiced echoed through the monitor.

" _ **Yet, we will not despair over his tragic demise. But instead, we should embrace his ultimate sacrifice and build upon the foundation he laid with an even mightier hand,**_ " Slipstream continued, her voice smooth and without fault.

Surprisingly.

"With all due respect, Commander Star – uhh... LORD – Starscream and Lady Slipstream," a voice from below asked.

Slipstream and Starscream turned to the voice. The former was willingly to just shrug off the comment until her optics laid on the person the voice came from.

Was Rebecca about to make a fool out of both of them? With Moonlight at her side?

"Yes, yes, what is it, Rebecca?" Starscream greeted.

"If we failed to conquer Earth under Lord Megatron's command, what hope do we have now with you two in charge while the Autobots still defend the darn planet?" Rebecca asked, a genuine want to know evident in her voice.

Beside her, Moonlight looked up at the leaders of the Decepticons, crossing her arms and waiting for the answer. Slipstream growled at the thought of the two about to make a huge joke out of her and her brother.

Well, to be fair, she wasn't the one that was the joke of the Decepticons.

Starscream sighed in frustration, looking away briefly before beginning his speech, "Allow me to be crystal clear. Slipstream and I studied for millennia under our former master. Thus we are equipped to lead you. We are Megatron's true heirs: Lord Starscream and Lady Slipstream; Emperor and Empress of Destruction!"

His proclamation wasn't well-received by the Decepticon troops as much as he would've liked. They instead muttered between themselves in disbelief. Was Starscream serious? Was he really going to lead the Decepticons to victory over the Autobots?

They believed in Slipstream; they had never doubted her intentions. After all, at least she never ran away squealing and screaming when the Autobots appeared out of nowhere.

The Decepticons had no chance to win the war against the Autobots. Not with Starscream beside Slipstream.

The muttering between the drones stopped as they looked back at their new leaders, one of them who was shocked by the appraisal he was not receiving.

"But Lord Starscream and Lady Slipstream," Rebecca began when Starscream appeared to look ready to storm off, "Moonlight has also got many, many years of studying under Megatron's command." She paused with a knowing grin, sharing the smile with Moonlight's smirk beside her. "Shouldn't she also be apart of the leadership shared by you two?"

Slipstream's optics narrowed dangerously at the now seventeen year old human. She has never allowed Rebecca to make a fool out of her before. It wasn't going to start now.

"Was Moonlight second in command when Megatron's death occurred? Was she even with us at the time? No, because she was too busy helping an Autobot escape pod fly towards Earth. Because of this, she has helped the Autobot's gain yet another new recruit! So no, Rebecca, she will not be getting a part of the leadership while her villainous ways continue to not benefit anyone but the Autobots!"

With that said, the female leader of the Decepticons turned to her most trustworthy follower Soundwave, "Turn off the audio visual feed immediately."

As the link was cut, Starscream proceeded to storm down the bridge in frustration, "What use are troops who can't rise to the task of inflicting unspeakable destruction in our names?"

"Wait, Lord Starscream and Lady Slipstream!" The two paused in their tracks, turning around to find the floating Rebecca behind them. "Legend, oh and Moonlight of course, tells of a capable warrior that exists upon this very Earth."

"One who could be be the student..."

"To our master," Starscream finished his sister's sentence.

The trio shared a knowing smirk. Oh yes, this recent discovery could help the new leaders of the Decepticons help gain a better following of their Decepticon army than they were currently getting.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Since Starlight's arrival upon our new home only half a week ago, she's been able to make herself quite at home. Bumblebee, Raf, Carly and I have been helping her fit into Team Prime as much as we could. And slowly, but surely, she's fitted in pretty nicely. Even Arcee's come around and welcomed her in properly.

...I'm still not convinced that Arcee was convinced, but hey, as long as everyone was getting along, it was still a win.

The Decepticons have been a bit too quiet over the last couple of days since Starlight and Moonlight's arrival. I wondered at the prospect that she was already giving Slipstream grief over on that Decepticon warship already.

What am I thinking? It isn't our issue. I shouldn't bother myself with it.

"Hey, "Swept?" My thoughts were interrupted by my ever-growing closer friend Carly, who was busy with a science project she as well as Jack, Miko and Raf were all working on separately with their guardians.

"Chuck us that screwdriver over there, please?" Carly requested, pointing over to the screwdriver over on one of the crates near the Groundbridge controls.

I nodded at her request, standing up from my crossed-legged position on the floor. As I wandered over to the crate, being mindful of the humans and their Autobot friends also in the middle of working on their projects, I couldn't help but overhear the conversation between Ratchet and Optimus.

"Optimus. Why so glum?" Ratchet asked, "This planet – ALL planets – are free from Megatron's tyranny!"

"I do not disagree, Ratchet. It's just…a small part of me hoped to change Megatron's mind. Not extinguish his spark," Optimus confessed.

"Optimus, his vileness was not slain by your hand! But by his own twisted arrogance!" The medic reminded our leader.

All he got was a mix between a growl and a hum of thought out of the Autobot leader. Good job, Ratch...

"I'm sorry. I know the two of you had a history."

By this point, I was dying to put my, as humans call it, two cents worth into the conversation. But I knew better than to get involved. With the screwdriver in hand, I make my way back over to my friend..., but I kept my audio receptors open at the conversation that began fading from my hearing.

"But the Megatron whom I once fought beside perished aeons ago; the day he chose to become a Decepticon. The Decepticons may be in disarray, but they are not without leadership. And while Starscream and Slipstream are no Megatron, they are far from predictable."

Just as I sat down back on the floor beside Carly, a loud explosion halted the elder bots conversation and everyone around us. I activated my blaster and stood, ready to battle against whoever caused the explosion. But when I saw what exactly caused the explosion, I deactivated my blaster in realisation.

Unfortunately, because of all the smoke the explosion caused, Optimus and Ratchet must have not seen what caused the noise because of their conversation.

"DECEPTICONS! We're under attack!" Ratchet cried.

Immediately, we heard the racing footsteps of our leader and our medic racing over to us. As the smoke cleared, they finally got to see what it was the caused the explosion.

And it was all thanks to Bumblebee, Raf and Raf's science project.

"It's no attack, Ratchet," Raf reassured them, coughing from the smoke.

Starlight raced into the room suddenly from the corridor, holding one of her Kunai knives out and ready to stab anyone in sight. My guess was that she was in the training room when the explosion went off. I hadn't seen her at all this morning till this point.

" **Woah, woah, Star!** " Bumblebee immediately bleeped, racing up to grab Starlight's wrist and put it down at her side. His other arm waved over at the station he and Raf were working at, " **It's just Raf's volcano.** "

"Ohhh," Starlight realised, sitting her knife at her hip with the others, walking to the area with Bumblebee.

As the smoke cleared and Raf's coughing subsided, the volcano drooped down, becoming a puddle of brown and red. He shrugged his shoulders in defeat, "Was."

"Hold still, Bulkhead!" We all looked behind us to find a cross-legged Bulkhead holding up strings of different sized circle orbs. Buckets of different coloured paints were on the ground with him. Miko dipped her paintbrush into the red paint bucket and prepared to paint one of the orbs, "Jupiter needs its red spot!" As she went to paint the orb, she spilt some of the paint on the ground. Miko reacted instantly, "Whoopsie!"

"What in the All Spark is going on around here?" Ratchet demanded.

"Our projects are due tomorrow," Jack answered with shrug

Yep, they decided to leave their projects to the last minute.

But I suppose when you meet Autonomous Robotic Organisms like us, gain new friends over the past week and a bit, and practically save your own home world, I guess it would make sense just to put everything else on hold.

Arcee and Jack were working nearby Carly and I. My teammate held up an exhaust pipe and looked at her charge in suggestion, "Maybe it needs one of these doo-hickies?"

"You're a motorcycle, Arcee. Shouldn't you know how to build a motorcycle engine?" He asked with a slight laugh.

"You're a human, Jack. Can you build me a small intestine?" She retorted.

"Well, you can't work on these projects in here. You're…making a mess!" Ratchet argued, trying to find an excuse to stop the humans from distracting his day.

It's either Ratchet's way or no way.

"But the science fair is a big part of our grade!" Raf objected.

"Yeah!" Miko agreed at the balcony, "If Bulkhead doesn't help me finish this model of our solar system…"

"Oh! And what does Bulkhead know of your solar system? Or Bumblebee and Starlight of your volcanoes?" Ratchet scoffed, "Or…"

"Windswept of our technology?" Carly continued with a roll her eyes.

Carly was attempting to create some sort of GlassPad. Kind of like what the humans referred to as the iPad, but it was supposed to be much, much larger. It functioned like an iPad, but the exterior looked like actual glass. It could be used as a mirror or even a window with the right press of a button. She had created the GlassPad so that it was Jack's height, having been using him as the what the human's would refer him as a guinea pig.

She had already sketched the ideas out at home and had already started on the control mechanisms for the inside of the project, as well as helping Raf sketch and create some sort of base model for his volcano. But that's as far as they got.

The next day, they became part of our war.

Their lives mattered more than their science projects.

"Or Arcee of our motorcycles?" Jack finished knowingly.

"Precisely! We're not Earthlings! And they're not scientists!" Ratchet finished cockily with his servos on his hips.

"But the Autobots are their guardians, Ratchet. Would it hurt to learn more about this planet by helping our young friends with their schoolwork?"

Optimus Prime, always on our side.

"Well, maybe our young friends should learn more about Cybertron!" Ratchet retorted.

I cringed inwardly. Those poor humans were about to get one heck of a history lesson from Ratchet if they weren't careful.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Having being practically laughed at when he made his decree that the Decepticons would not become a lost cause while he was in charge, Starscream knew he had to make a move to emphasise his status as the new leader of the Decepticons.

Technically, co-leader since his more respected sister would be standing beside him.

So when Rebecca brought up the information regarding some of the history of a Decepticon warrior, he knew he couldn't simply ignore this lead. Leaving Moonlight in charge for the moment, much to Slipstream's not-so-secret dismay, Starscream, Slipstream, Rebecca and Soundwave took off for the co-ordinates hopefully leading them to what could be possibly be another new addition to their growing army.

The co-ordinates happened to lead them to familiar sight for Soundwave's mini-con Laserbeak. The canyon they were sent to was the site of where Laserbeak kidnapped the Autobot's human liaison Agent Fowler.

"During the great war, so much Energon was hidden on this forsaken rock. But our departed master sent some of Cybertron's greatest to guard it," Starscream explained, looking over the canyon, "True warriors now lying in stasis waiting to be reawakened."

"Such folly that late in life, Megatron had to search distant space for warriors rather than here beneath his own two feet," Slipstream sighed.

If Rebecca didn't know any better, she wouldn't have picked up on the fact that Slipstream wasn't just referring to the Terracons their former leader had attempted to transport to them.

Behind them, Soundwave was attempting to search for the hidden warriors beneath the Earth's surface, waiting to be reawakened like Starscream had explained. But when his first scan of the rock beneath them failed to pick up a signal...

"You can't pinpoint his signal? But we're so close!" Rebecca whined.

"Boost the power to your sensors!" Starscream ordered.

Soundwave did what he was told to do, boosting his sensors as far as it would be allowed. Doing so was a good move...

Starscream hummed in delight when it started provide something on Soundwave, "Yes. There."

The outline of a Decepticon symbol flashed on the silent Cybertronian's screen, proving Moonlight's theory. A Decepticon was lying in the canyon in stasis, waiting to be awakened and to join the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons

The trio of Decepticons transformed into their jet forms. Starscream and Soundwave flew away first, heading off to the direction the signal was resonating from. Allowing Rebecca to hop into the cockpit of her jet form, Slipstream quickly followed her co-leader and the silent second-in-command.

The trio flew into the canyon following the path of the signal. The Decepticon warrior hiding in stasis could be the that would help turn the tide of the Cybertronian war towards the Decepticons' advantage. And hopefully, maybe the two new leaders of their side could do what Megatron could have, but never did.

Destroy Optimus Prime...

Win the war...

Conquer Earth...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Raf was starting fall behind a little bit more than the rest of us, so Starlight decided to join in on the fun the boys were having and began helping out on the creation of the volcano. Bumblebee and Starlight had quickly fallen into discussion about their lives during the war as they worked.

Them, as well as me and many more scattered across the solar system, were one of the, if not the, last wave of Cybertronians to be born during the war. On a technicality, I guess you could say we were at the time the Autobot's last line of defence. But once we reached of age and a few years past it, that was when the war for Cybertron began to end once the planet began its' fatal spiral and we were all shipped off on escape pods and warships to flee the planet.

So we weren't really able to defend Cybertron like myself and many others were supposed to do.

As Bumblebee and Starlight continued their discussions, it seemed as if Raf was only starting to fall behind even further. It didn't look like it bothered him, though. I think he was enjoying the conversations that were taking place, even taking part in the recent one about Bumblebee's status as a scout.

"Uh huh... uh huh..." Raf nodded interestingly, sticking pieces of newspaper around the volcano to help shape it when it came to recreating the project, "Really, Bumblebee? Then how DO you make warrior class?"

Bumblebee activated his blasters, pointing them around as he continued, discussing how good he was on the battlefield and explaining how he was yet to move up to warrior class.

"But I've seen you in action! You're awesome!" Raf objected, getting ready to place another page of newspaper onto the volcano model.

Bumblebee nodded in modesty, beeping and whirring about how he didn't truly believe he was ready to move up to the next class.

"Oh come on, Bee!" Starlight began to protest playfully, "I haven't seen you in action yet, but I bet you're really, really good!"

Oh Starlight, please tell that is not flirting I can hear coming out of your mouth?

Optimus stopped Bumblebee from answering by placing his over-sized servo on his shoulder, "I second your opinion, Raf and Starlight. But Autobot life-cycles are longer than those of humans. And though it may be hard to believe, our young scout still has much to experience."

"I think quite a few of us do," Starlight agreed before her optics found mine, "But then again, some of us did go through quite a bit, huh 'Swept?"

I shook my head at the response, "What?" Please don't go there Star...

Iacon may have not been a very busy place, but the amount of stories that can come from there can make others believe otherwise very very quickly. The things myself, Starlight and many others, went through during the war on Cybertron were things that we will never, ever forget.

"You got another story to tell me there, 'Swept?" I looked down at Carly sitting up on her knees. We were taking a break from her GlassPad creation since all she had to do was to test her project. I think she knew what would be good to pass the break time.

"Uhhhh..."

The all too familiar signals from the computer screens where Ratchet was working interrupted our conversation. I felt suddenly relieved to be hearing those alarms.

"Maybe another time, Carly," I told her simply as I stood up.

"Exposed Energon! And it's on the move!" Ratchet announced.

"And since we're not moving it, guess who must be!" Bulkhead began, joining Ratchet.

"The one and only..." I continued.

"Decepticons!" Arcee finished.

"Without Megatron?" Miko asked in disbelief.

"Unfortunately, Megatron's legacy will live on as others rise to take his place," Optimus sighed gravely before looking at all of us, "Autobots, you have projects to complete. Ratchet, I may require aid."

Ratchet looked over his shoulder at Rafael working on his volcano and looked to be taking a moment to think about the request from Optimus, "The science fair is a big part of their grade." The orange and white medic looked up the Prime, "Perhaps I'm better suited to remain behind and advise."

Oh no...

"Very well. Bumblebee, Windswept, let us see about this Energon in transit," Optimus suggested.

Bumblebee was nodding and standing proudly, ready to gain more experience to move up to warrior status.

I, on the other hand, was a little bit more surprised when Optimus called out for me to join on. I'd been getting out of base more than I had anticipated. But hey, since Carly was practically finished her project and all I was gonna do was stand around and do nothing, I may as well log in a few more missions.

I looked over at Carly, who just shrugged, "Story time later then?"

I relented and nodded at the almost pleading look she was giving me. I looked down at the complete GlassPad, reminding me of Ratchet staying in the base, "Go store that in Starlight's berthroom. We can take it home with you when I come back."

Starlight nodded at the suggestion and began moving over to the corridor as Carly began packing up.

Ratchet was going to be staying here and helping the humans complete their own projects hit me. I knew I had to get Carly get her project away from him. I felt bad for the others who weren't even close to finishing theirs. I don't believe in Ratchet allowing them finish the projects they had already started.

Welcome to Cybertronian Basics 101, everybody! Starring our very own, Ratchet the medic!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

When the Decepticon signal the four Decepticons were following lead them to a hidden compartment deep within the rock formation, Slipstream and Starscream wasted no time in removing what they found to be a cargo box in the hidden compartment.

Upon successfully pulling it out, the twins walked away and it looked at with glee. Inside the cargo would hopefully be their winning move of the war.

"Excellent Soundwave," Starscream complimented.

"The cube please?" Slipstream asked, holding out her servo towards Soundwave while her attentions still were locked on the cargo box.

Soundlessly, Soundwave brought out a small box. The box when opened revealed a glowing blue Energon cube. In order to revive and Cybertronian lying deep within stasis, it would need to be awoken by their lifeblood. During its' time in stasis, the blood would've stopped running from the lack of movement from the Cybertronian.

Slipstream, without looking at what she was doing, slipped the glowing cube out of its' little box and placed it at the edge of a square hole in the middle of the cargo box. The box took it like it was swallowing the Energon into the Cybertronian within it.

Stepping back, the female leader of the Decepticons watched with her brother, Soundwave and Rebecca as the familiar sounds of machinery whirred to life in the cargo box.

"The Energon infusion. It's working!" Starscream announced with glee.

As the container began opening, the bright flash of blue light that appeared became bright and brighter. Becoming blinded by the colour, the Decepticons couldn't help but turn away as their Cybertronian started to come to life...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Bumblebee and I were the first to walk out the Groundbridge upon arrival. Optimus soon arrived behind us and just as the portal closed, I could hear the sounds of machinery whirring nearby. I exchanged a knowing look with 'Bee and Optimus before we looked a few hundred feet away to our right.

" **That doesn't sound good…** " Bumblebee whirred.

"No, Bumblebee, it does not. Hold your position and await my command," Optimus instructed us going to investigate the whirring.

'Bee and I followed his instruction and hid behind a rock, awaiting the next command from our leader.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

With the Energon transfusion now complete, the bright blue light had disappeared. Slowly, the cargo box began opening before them.

"Awaken, warrior. Rise and serve your new masters!" Starscream proclaimed.

As the cargo box opened, it began to reveal the look and colour of the Decepticon. His red piercing eyes immediately opened, starring down at the Cybertronians who had awoken him from stasis. He was a mostly rusty green colour with white splattered on him and a touch of red splashed here and there. He took his first steps and began immediately stretching, punching his fists together above his head. Starring down at the small Decepticons below him, he spoke for the first time in many, many years.

"Skyquake serves only one master."

"Excellent. Your loyalty and devotion will set a fine example for the troops. No need to be timid, Skyquake. You may bow," Starscream invited.

"You fail to grasp my meaning. I am here on a mission, assigned to me by my one master: Megatron," Skyquake corrected.

"Yes, him," Starscream sighed.

"Megatron is no longer with us," Slipstream informed the Decepticon, "Sadly."

"Impossible!" Skyquake gasped.

"Why is it so difficult for everyone to accept?" Starscream muttered in frustration before looking up at the recently awoken Decepticon," Skyquake, we located you. We awakened you. Thus, we, Lord Starscream and Lady Slipstream, are now your masters!"

Skyquake growled at the Decepticon, bending down as if he was preparing to show the supposed leader of the Decepticons just who he thought was the real leader.

Starscream took a few steps back in fear, getting the message that Skyquake was attempting to send him through growls and glaring from his eyes. The smaller Decepticon knew that if he wasn't careful, he wouldn't be leader of the Decepticons for long.

"It has been a while, Skyquake."

Skyquake and Starscream turned to find the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, merely standing a distance from them. Starscream had never looked so relieved in seeing Optimus, grinning up at the awakened Decepticon like he knew that his recently revived soldier would be distracted by his enemy.

Shoving away the Decepticon who keeps calling him his 'new master', Skyquake stood to full height, lowly growling at the sight of his enemy, "Optimus Prime. I haven't seen you since the Battle of Technor. Megatron ordered me to annihilate you."

"That was a long time ago," Optimus reminded the Decepticon.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Bumblebee and I peaked around the corner of the rock formation, seeing the discussion between Optimus and this Decepticon our leader referred to as Skyquake. We also spotted Starscream, Slipstream and Soundwave nearby watching them.

In my time that I was alive and on Cybertron, I never came across the Decepticon Skyquake. But as far as I had heard through the, what humans would refer to as the, grapevine, Skyquake was fiercely loyal to the Decepticon cause, especially to Megatron. If Starscream and Slipstream wanted to control Skyquake, they would need to prove a heck of a lot to him they could take on the Decepticon reins and became better leaders than Megatron.

And we all know that's never going to happen.

"That may be, Prime," Skyquake began as Optimus took a few steps further towards him, "But my orders still stand."

"Is this ancient war still worth fighting? When so many comrades have been lost? And worlds destroyed? If you two want to be true leaders, Starscream and Slipstream, then stray from Megatron's path and lead the Decepticons towards peace," Optimus pleaded them.

Skyquake wasn't the only one that was fiercely loyal to the Decepticons. I didn't know about Starscream, but Slipstream had been on Megatron's side from the get-go. There was no way that Optimus, or I for that matter, could turn her against the side that had practically raised her.

Starscream was a bit more difficult to predict.

"I would be willing to consider a truce…if you would be willing to bow before us, Optimus Prime," Starscream mocked.

"AGAIN?" Skyquake suddenly intervened with a growl. He seemed frustrated by Starscream's attempts to get him, as well as Optimus, to follow his command, "BOW TO THIS!"

Skyquake threw a punch at Starscream, sending him flying over to the cliff face. I grinned in excitement at this turn of events, watching Starscream collide against a rock cliff. He stumbled up with a groan and transformed, probably not wanting to get himself in a middle of a battle. Huh, he's smarter than he thought.

I expected Slipstream to follow her pathetic brother. A curious look probably appeared on my face when she didn't move a single digit. She looked like she was expecting something.

"Skyquake, this is a new era. On another world. Side with the Autobots and help me end this conflict forever," Optimus once again pleaded to the newly-awakened Decepticon.

"I will NEVER side with a Prime!" Skyquake proclaimed.

With a battle cry, Skyquake charged towards Optimus. My leader was prepared to take on whatever the Decepticon had to give for him, yet he never saw the first punch coming. We all didn't really. The hit sent Optimus towards a nearby archway and heavily landing with it. Skyquake immediately grabbed Optimus by the shoulders and began throwing him around like a rag doll.

No, no, no. You do not get to mess with my leader and get away with it.

"Scrap this!" I activated my blaster and glanced at Bumblebee, "Stay here!"

Before I could see his response, I immediately began charging at the Decepticon, firing blaster shots at the green and white Cybertronian. He ignored my blasters; he was more interested in Optimus lying on the ground.

Hey buddy, that Autobot on the ground is my leader, and someone I look up too. No way are you getting more of your grubby servos on him.

I looked around to see if I could use anything to my advantage when I saw the lone human, female I think, floating in mid air. Her hands were curled into fists and her brown eyes staring at my frame. The pale-skinned girl looked familiar... I stopped mid-step.

Rebecca?

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

High above the ensuing battle stood Soundwave, having been simply overlooking the discussion between Starscream, Slipstream and Skyquake, the appearance of Optimus Prime and the battle that quickly begun the second Starscream took off.

Said Decepticon transformed behind the silent Decepticon, holding his backside and groaning at the pain Skyquake had inflicted upon him when he punched him into the rock cliff, "What need have we for peace when we have Skyquake?" He asked rhetorically with a fold of his arms behind him.

Slipstream's jet form appeared seconds later, transforming and landing on the other side of Soundwave while Starscream continued.

"With some discipline, he will learn to respect his new master. And once it becomes known that Skyquake destroyed Optimus Prime under our command, all Decepticons will gratefully bow to us."

Slipstream rolled her eyes silently, "They'll need to come to respect you first, Starscream. They already respect me and trust my judgement."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"Rebecca Rose," I whispered, looking over the now teenage girl.

"Indeed Windswept," She nodded with a smirk, "I haven't managed to get a good look at you in years."

"Neither have I. Though, to be honest, I thought you were dead."

Rebecca brought a hand to her chest, "Wha...? You thought moi would be dead? But I'm a superhuman!" She laughed in disbelief.

"Whatever the Decepticons did you did more than just give extended abilities," I commented, rolling my optics.

"Now, I'd love to stick around and battle you, but I'm afraid that I have the death of Optimus Prime to watch." Before I knew it, Rebecca had disappeared before my optics...

With the use of a hoverboard?

Hmm, now that sounds like a great science project.

I expected her to be unpredictable. I could sense something was coming. I was concerned when I looked around me and was unable to find her.

A sharp pain in between my winglets caused me to cry out. Oh wow... the pain was like a human bee sting Carly had described to me once. It was was so sharp! Oh, oh Primus stop this monster that was inflicting this pain! Primus please!

"I'm not a joke, Windswept. Just remember that."

Seriously?! The second warning in less than two weeks?!

The sharpness of whatever was in my back disappeared. Despite the pain, I stood to full height and looked around for that little Rebecca brat.

She had disappeared.

Dammit!

I bent down and rest my servos on my thigh plating. My energy had suddenly disappeared, and I desperately needed it to overcome this wound I now had on me.

Bumblebee came up behind me and rubbed my back comfortingly, " **You okay, 'Swept?** "

"Yeah...yeah... I will be," I panted out in answer.

We looked up just in time to see Optimus take a few hits from Skyquake's blaster gun. Bumblebee whirred in anger, racing away from me to the recently re-awoken Decepticon. I reached out to grasp his wrist to stop him, but my actions were too late.

"Bumblebee! NO!" Optimus yelled at the scout, warning him to back away.

Our teammate refused to listen, leaping up and attacking Skyquake from behind with his blaster. A few of those shots landed onto the Decepticon's armour. The Decepticon grew enraged and retaliated instantly, pointing his blaster gun at Bumblebee and beginning his attack.

I took this distraction as a small advantage to myself. With the sharpness in my back having subsided a little now, I began racing over the other of Skyquake towards Optimus to join him. We watched Bumblebee dodge each blasters shots, jumping from wall to wall. He went in for a close attack, only to have the Decepticon grab a hold of him and spin into the wall.

"Stay put!" Optimus yelled to me, charging towards the green and white Decepticon.

The Prime managed to stop Skyquake from firing more shots at Bumblebee, but he wasn't enough to stop Skyquake from treating him like a rag doll just like he did with Optimus and throwing him away. I had to leap out of the way to dodge the poor scout, despite the strain it put on my back. I quickly ran to my teammate to aid him when I landed.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Do not miss a single moment, Soundwave!" Starscream instructed, looking at the footage being recorded by Soundwave of Skyquake and Optimus preparing to duel once more, "We shall need visual documentation of Optimus Prime's demise for the historical record!"

Watching the battle from the edge of the cliff face, Rebecca's eyes narrowed over her shoulder at Starscream's remark, whispering to herself, "You silly fool. Skyquake maybe strong, he'll need more than just his strengths to beat Optimus Prime."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Optimus and Skyquake quickly began throwing punches the second I began helping Bumblebee up. Our leader threw the first punch, quickly getting a fist to the shoulder in response. He ducked when Skyquake went to retaliate with his other one. Optimus attempted to get the upper hand over the reawakened Decepticon when the latter threw another punch at him, sending him skidding towards us.

Now on our feet, Bumblebee bleeped to Optimus about how we are going to get the upper hand over the strong Decepticon.

He wasn't wrong. I've come across a lot of strong Decepticons; only a few of them could match up to this one's stamina.

"Skyquake has not yet acquired a vehicle mode," Optimus whispered in answer.

He was right. Skyquake had only been wandering around for not even ten minutes. He hasn't had the time to acquire a vehicle form, let alone an appropriate one to fit his stature at that. I smirked at our upper hand.

Skyquake's blaster reappeared is his hands, reloading in preparation to start firing at us again. He started charging towards us with a battle cry.

"FALL BACK!"

We followed Optimus' instruction and transformed into our vehicle modes, using this at our advantage. Reversing away from the stomping mech, we spun around and began our race away from the rapidly approaching Decepticon. In the dust mist that we kicked up in our haste, I could see Skyquake pause in his charge through the rear-view mirror.

"So time has made you a coward, Prime?" Skyquake yelled out, firing more shots from his blaster gun.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Ratchet had made himself quite busy at the Autobot base, but not exactly in a good way. Instead of doing what he had said and just supervising the progress of the children's science projects, he had decided on constructing the NEW science projects as part of the children's learning of Cybertron.

"Let's see. Where is it?" The medic mumbled to himself, looking over the project he was making.

"Um…what is it?" Raf asked, looking up at what was his former volcano.

"You'll find out," Ratchet answered as he went back to work, blue sparks flying left, right and centre.

"Ratchet, Raf should be doing the work," Carly began to argue, leaning forward on the protective bars at the balcony, "It's his project after all!"

Ratchet snapped at the small boy when he went touch the enlarged volcano, "Don't touch! Just watch and learn!"

"So…" Bulkhead hummed, gaining everyone but the orange and white medic's attention, "We're just gonna go help Jack and Miko finish THEIR-"

"Without my supervision?" Ratchet immediately cut off Bulkhead to ask in disbelief. He paused in his work and stood up to look at the Autobot trio, "You want them to be right, don't you?"

Arcee, Bulkhead and Starlight exchanged a look. Yes, they wanted their charges to be right and do well in their projects. But the whole point of doing their projects was to do them THEMSELVES. That didn't mean that a know-it-all Autonomous Robotic Organism had to be involved.

But, if it kept Ratchet busy, and happy, then did they really want to ruin that for him?

When the Autobots looked back at Ratchet, he restarted the tool he had activated on his hand, "Then watch a master at work!"

"Control freak," Miko remarked to Jack and Carly, the pair who couldn't help but nod in agreement

Watching Ratchet hard at work, Carly gulped, "Was I the only one that saw that strange gleam in his eye?"

* * *

When the Autobots had taken off in retreat of the newly awakened Decepticon, they managed to get him to follow after them. During their haste, it allowed the Decepticons to lose the sight of them, which wasn't a good thing. They needed to watch the demise of their enemies! And they needed proof of it!

"We've lost sight of them!" Rebecca groaned in frustration.

"Soundwave, why aren't you tracking them?" Starscream screeched. He paused when he heard a signal emanating from the eyes and ears of the Decepticons, turning to him quickly "What? What is it?"

Soundwave was instead more focused on something else he had discovered during the battle. He provided the image of a map on his screen. But this was no ordinary map. It wasn't a map of the battle between the Autobots and their Decepticon. But one of Earth high in space.

And where a Decepticon life signal was located.

"A second Decepticon life signal?" Starscream scoffed in disbelief, "But Skyquake is the only sleeper buried in this area!"

Rebecca and Slipstream studied the map, looking closer at the screen when Soundwave zoomed in on the life signal. Upon closer inspection, Rebecca gasped at the realisation - those coordinates were very familiar.

"That's the sight of our destroyed Spacebridge!"

"You're not telling us that life signal belongs to Megatron?" Slipstream asked in disbelief, "Are you?"

It was impossible! She saw it all on the monitors that day! Megatron couldn't have survived that deadly explosion!

"But he was microns from the destination point! Nothing could have survived that blast! Your sensors must be faulty! Ignore the contact! Delete the coordinates!" Starscream immediately instructed Soundwave.

Slipstream knew why Starscream was automatically denying the fact that Megatron could have survived the explosion. Although, if he had, there would be a slim chance that he could actually fully recover. The Decepticon signal was out there in space, flashing and waiting to be rescued.

"What are you saying? Of course it must be investigated!" Slipstream began arguing, "If Megatron is up there, I shall bring him home. And you're coming with me." She poked Starscream in the chest.

Nodding his head quickly at his sister's demand, Starscream turned to Soundwave, "Remain here and monitor the outcome. When Skyquake snuffs Prime's spark, I must bare witness."

Slipstream and Starscream jumped into the canyon below. Transforming into their jet forms before hitting the ground, they began their flight into space to check on the Decepticon life signal. They left Rebecca and Soundwave to watch their jet forms disappear in the sky.

" _ **Must bare witness.**_ "

Rebecca looked up at Soundwave when she heard the repeated words. She waved a hand over at him, "You know what to do."

Nodding, the silent Decepticon disconnected his mini-con from his chest. The two watched as Laserbeak flew after the twin Decepticons' vapour trail they left behind.

* * *

" _ **Tango Six Alpha to Station Command. We're picking up transmissions originating from unidentified technology. Possibly hostile. We are moving to investigate**_ _._ "

"Negative, Tango Six Alpha." The communications were immediately interrupted."This is Special Agent William Fowler intercepting. Strike your report from the record and abide origin coordinates. I'll take it from here." He quickly flew his jet down into the canyon he happened to be flying over.

What were those blasted Autobots up to now?

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

To distract Skyquake from his running behind us, Bumblebee and I decided to split apart from Optimus in an attempt to make Skyquake figure out which one of us to follow. He chose our path and kept on our heels. I knew Optimus wouldn't be too far behind us and so did Bumblebee so we kept Skyquake on our heels as much as possible.

We came across two different paths and that's when we made the decision to split up, Bumblebee heading to the right while I continued to left. Skyquake chose my teammate's path. I skid to a stop and spun around to follow them. By the time I caught up, Bumblebee had transformed and stopped. I could see from where I was that his path was a dead end... Well scrap.

Skyquake edged closer towards him. I transformed in slight panic, trying to come up with a plan to help him.

"It will be a shame to crush you, bug. But it is my duty," Skyquake remarked, getting ready to strike.

The familiar sound of a horn made me jump out of the way, Optimus speeding past in his truck form. Skyquake spun around at the horn and quickly fired at him. Optimus took the hits and transformed, leaping to punch Skyquake in the face. The hit sent the Decepticon flying into the cliff face behind Bumblebee.

"Excellent strategy, Bumblebee and Windswept," Optimus complimented when 'Bee and I were behind him.

Skyquake moaned and fell from the cliff face to the ground. Suddenly, he opened his optics and leaped up, scratching Optimus' windscreen on his chest.

"Skyquake, stay down." With that instruction, my leader punched the Decepticon again, this time a lot harder.

With bits of shrapnel flying of his face, Skyquake fell to the ground, now weakened from the punches. Before we could do anything about the him, the sound of a jet filled our audio receptors. We looked up and spotted a jet flying overhead... Hey, I've seen that jet once or twice on occasion... Is that...?

"Fowler?" Optimus voiced my, and probably 'Bee's, thoughts.

When we looked down at Skyquake, he was scanning the jet above us! Scrap, he must've used our distraction as his advantage.

"Agent Fowler, fall back!" Optimus ordered through the comm link to the Agent.

Skyquake jumped up and transformed into his new jet form, flying up to the sky above us to Fowler's jet.

There goes our advantage...

" _ **Well, I'll be a bald eagle!**_ " Fowler yelled in disbelief.

Skyquake flew back into our view, "Air superiority achieved." He began firing shots at us from above, etching closer and closer towards.

We immediately began running for cover to escape the Decepticon's blaster fire, eventually transforming into our vehicle forms to escape at a faster pace. Through my mirror, I saw Agent Fowler fly behind the Decepticon and begin shooting at him to distract him from us.

Thank goodness for the Agent that says weird stuff!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Stealing plans for classified military aircraft will NOT be tolerated on my watch!" Fowler proclaimed, continuing to fire shots at the phoney military aircraft.

The Agent instantly became Skyquake's new target, having a group of missiles being shot at him. He took one look at the radar in his cockpit and gaped, "Heatseakers!"

With the use of his military training, Fowler was able to fly around the canyon and towards a dead end. He pulled up quickly, smirking proudly as he saw the missiles blow when they hit the rock cliff below him.

"I still got it."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the depths of space, Starscream and Slipstream arrived at what was left of the Spacebridge. Pieces of the portal were still floating around. But that wasn't what the Decepticon leaders had arrived to the area for.

There was a Decepticon life signal to find.

Landing on a large piece of floating shrapnel, the twins looked around at the sight of what once was their Spacebridge.

"No one could've survived this," Slipstream whispered in a defeated tone.

"As I suspected, faulty sensors. The last thing we need now are rumours that Megatron is still-"

A painful gasp interrupted the new Decepticon Lord. The twins looked towards the direction of where the desperate gasp had come from and spotted the body of their former leader floating around amidst the shrapnel. Floating over to the body, Starscream landed on his chassis.

"Megatron?"

Slipstream rolled her eyes at the fake concern Starscream gave for their former Master. She knew that the chance of leading the Decepticons he had been given was something that he was NOT going to give up so easily. So she knew finding Megatron still floating around in space, being alive enough emanate a life signal, was a big blow to his plans as Decepticon leader.

Megatron suddenly reached up and grabbed Starscream's arms, his piercing red eyes silently pleading the mech to help him. But his injuries got the better of him, collapsing back into his lifeless float.

"But how?" Starscream asked himself, trying to figure out how Megatron survived such a disaster. But then his eyes trailed down to the larger Decepticon's chest, the gaping hole revealing the glowing purple shard of Dark Energon his former leader had stabbed himself with not even a day after returning from his three year absence.

Starscream sighed in realisation, "Dark Energon."

The male leader of the Decepticons leaned closer to the struggling Decepticon, whispering to him, "Everyone believes you are deceased. Rebecca, the recently arrived Moonlight." His voice dropped slightly. "Who are we to disappoint them, hmm?"

Starscream reached his clawed hands into Megatron's chest, pulling the glowing shard out of the former Decepticon warlord's chest. At the movement, Megatron came to life. He reached out for the shared that fueled him, his eyes silently pleading to be stabbed and be brought back to life. But the injuries were too bad for him, too hard to fight against, falling lifelessly once more.

This time, the red light in his optics faded to black.

Slipstream couldn't believe what her optics had just seen. Something that confirmed her thoughts.

Starscream was more traitorous than she had first suspected.

"I'm sorry, Megatron," Slipstream whispered when Starscream used his heels to push Megatron away.

But he wasn't out of the clear just yet. The humming sound of Laserbeak arriving onto the scene forced the blue and purple Decepticon to float over to her brother.

"SOUNDWAVE!" Starscream gasped, remembering the scene that had just occurred before him.

"Soundwave, we must transport our Lord immediately to the warship's med-bay as he is severely injured after his ordeal with the Spacebridge," Slipstream said to Laserbeak, her voice flawlessly portraying a tone of despair.

Starscream looked at her with disbelief while his clawed hanf clutched the glowing purple shard behind his back.

Did Slipstream really just save his aft?

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The chase continued. Optimus, Bumblebee and I continued racing and dodging our way from the blaster fire Skyquake was raining down upon us. He hit part of the rock formation behind us, exploding in grey smoke and orange flame.

Suddenly, the blaster fire from the Decepticon hit my motorcycle form. I yelled out in the sudden pain as I flew in the air. I transformed in an attempt to get my footing, but another blaster shot hit the middle of my back, where the sharp stinging pain from Rebecca was. I lost my landing position and instead landed on my side, tumbling down the rocky ground.

A groan escaped me when I landed on my side. I moved my helm around to find Optimus close by in a position of crouching or sitting - he must've got hit too. I attempted to sit up, but my back protested in pain, nearly making me collapse back on the ground. The overly sized servo on my back slowly helped me to my knees.

Thank you Optimus Prime.

Hang on a minute. Where's Bumblebee?

As I stood with help from Optimus, I found spotted the familiar Urbana 500 still travelling along the road with Skyquake still shooting at his tailpipe. Bumblebee drove up the cliff face in the distance, transforming and running towards the canyon where the Decepticon was flying back in. 'Bee leaped down the rock formations and managed to reach out enough to grab one of Skyquake's wings.

The Decepticon began to fly out of control with the added weight on one side of him. He scrapped my teammate against the rock formations to try shaking him off. Then the 'Con flew up into the sky, obviously trying a different approach. I couldn't tell what he was up to, but whatever he was doing, it made me fear for 'Bee.

"Agent Fowler, we require immediate assistance!" Optimus must've felt the same concern.

I narrowed my optics. Fowler was the reason why Skyquake had a jet form in the first place... though he also the reason we were all still alive. I didn't know whether to grateful or annoyed at our liaison.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Bumblebee quickly managed to climb on top of Skyquake's jet form, immediately punching into the jet and ripping parts out of the Decepticons wiring, flinging them into the air. The scout's action meant that Skyquake was now damaged to the point where he was unable to provide a safe landing for either Cybertronian.

Agent Fowler quickly appeared on the trail of the smoking aerial vehicle heading down to the canyon below. He flew to the side of the out of control Decepticon, looking over at Bumblebee, who began whirring in question.

"Anytime, fella. Ground floor's coming up fast!" Fowler remarked, looking down at the ground before him.

Figuring out that Agent Fowler was flying beside him to help him, Bumblebee leaped from the badly damaged jet form of Skyquake to Agent Fowler's jet. From there, they watched the smoking jet make its descent to the ground.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

Optimus and I watched Skyquake's black-smoking fighter jet form heavily crash-land in the canyon before us with an exploding bang. The 'Con skidded along the desert ground before coming to rest a few hundred feet away from his landing position.

" _ **Happy landings, 'Con,**_ " Agent Fowler smirked.

Optimus and I approached the Decepticon. Surely he couldn't have survived that crash landing, especially since Bumblebee looked to have done a decent number on him by punching into him and pulling out all his wiring. He'd be some sort of Cybertronian God if he had!

Agent Fowler flew away from the canyon, probably happy with another day's work. 'Bee jumped from the cliff edge near us before he joined us in walking up to the mangled mess that was now Skyquake. I looked over his part jet, part Cybertornian form and nodded in satisification - there goes another one...

Optimus removed his mouth guard, still overlooking the offline Decepticon, "Had Skyquake chosen to stray from his master's path, we might not be burying him today."

A few feet away, I spotted something in front of Skyquake's offline form - his cargo pod. Huh, how tragic...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Rebecca and Soundwave watched the Autobots began burying the now dead Decepticon. The female teenager couldn't help but sigh at the Decepticon's failed attempt to kill three the Autobots that had turned up.

"And yet another one bites the dust," She whispered with shake of her head.

Her mind then turned its attentions to the fact that Starscream and Slipstream had left to search the Decepticon signal high into space.

Maybe Megatron hadn't bitten the dust just yet.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

After yesterday's events, Optimus gave Bumblebee and I the day off guardian duties, deciding that we needed to be sure that we weren't severely injured from the battle.

I sustained a small stab wound my in back thanks to whatever Rebecca used during the early stages of the battle with Skyquake. I wish I knew what it was that brat had stabbed me with, but since Optimus and Bumblebee didn't see what she had used either, I had realised that maybe I wasn't supposed to know. Regardless, the stab wound was small and should heal over the next day or so. Nothing to stop me from my duty as being guardian to Carly as well as being one of Team Prime's fighters.

Oh yeah... Carly, Jack, Miko and Raf handed in their science projects today. I wonder how that went...

"Bumblebee, putting yourself at risk was perhaps not the wisest of strategies. But you performed admirably," Optimus complimented Bumblebee when Ratchet had finished checking him over for any injuries his scanning had missed yesterday. Our leader looked down at both of us, "The pair of you."

Bumblebee bleeped his thanks for the compliment to Optimus as he stepped out of the chamber.

I looked over at Ratchet - does he have a spring in his step? That's a rare feat considering he's never happy about anything these days... Huh, thinking about the sudden perk in his mood made me think about the science projects the humans were working on. They had left with them before Optimus, 'Bee and I got back.

I hope Ratchet didn't mess with their projects.

"Hey guys." We looked over at Starlight walking up to us, "Arcee and Bulkhead are back with the kids." The sound of Bulkhead's horn coming from the entry tunnel backed her statement.

Ratchet suddenly became excited, immediately heading off to greet the humans, "Aha-ha-ha, there you are!"

Ratchet got a hold of kid's projects, didn't he?

Optimus and I exchanged a knowing look.

Arcee arrived in first with Jack and Carly with her. Since I wasn't available to pick up Carly, and with Starlight still needing some lessons about Earth, I handed over the reins to Arcee for the day. She wasn't exactly too pleased about the idea, but she agreed with me about Carly and Jack getting closer. So I told her to think of it as a little spy project.

She warmed to the idea immediately.

Bulkhead was close behind, parking up and opening the doors for Miko and Raf to leap out of his vehicle form before he and 'Cee transformed behind them.

"Well, how were my – uhhh, OUR projects received?"

"Well..." Raf began, trailing off when the humans began to exchange knowing looks.

Uh-oh...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

It started with Miko...

"Miss Nakadai, what planet would that be?" the science teacher asked confusedly.

"Um…Cybertron," Miko answered with a shrug.

The string that the planet of all Cybertronians was being held up by wasn't strong enough to hold the entire weight of the orb, landing with a hollow thud on the teacher's desk.

Next up was Jack...

"Well its large Mr Darby. But is it operational?" the science teacher asked curiously.

Jack bent down and lifted a lever. On cue the machine lit up. immediately jumping up and down and bouncing all around the room. It eventually reached the door, knocking it down effortlessly and immediately causing havoc in the hallways.

And finally, it was Raf's turn.

"I hesitate to ask, Mr Esquivel, but is it active?" The science teacher asked nervously when he saw the volcano behind the young student cackling with blue electricity.

Raf stood away from the volcano and pressed a button on the remote in his hand. The volcano immediately spat out its' contents in an orange beam, slicing through the roof and into the sky...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"Well, on our planet, you would have been awarded the highest honour!" Ratchet scoffed in disbelief before mumbling away, "Absolutely no gratitude..."

Bumblebee wandered up casually to Optimus, whirring to him a comment that nearly made me start laughing in agreement.

"Indeed Bumblebee," Optimus agreed amusingly, "Our human friends would have been wise to stray from Ratchet's path."

"What about Carly?" Starlight asked.

I looked down at my charge, who was digging the toe of her sandal shyly into the ground. She held her helmet that had her deceased brother's name written on it against her stomach.

"Carly?" I questioned curiously when she didn't reply.

Passing the helmet to Miko, the brown-haired teenage girl pulled out her phone and began typing on it. After a moment, she reached it out towards me. I bent down to get a look.

The GlassPad she had created was sitting proudly on a table. And it had a beautiful blue ribbon with the number '1' and an exclamation mark beside it.

I smirked at her proudly, "That's my girl."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The Decepticon Warship floated around deep within space peacefully and calmly as if nothing was happening. Nope, nothing at all.

Oh, except for one thing.

"The troops will be pleased to hear of our success in rushing lord Megatron into stasis."

Lying before Starscream, Slipstream, Rebecca, Soundwave and Moonlight was Lord Megatron himself. Unconscious on the medical berth he was provided with, the warlord had multiple cables connecting to his frame. His spark beat was nothing but beeps coming from the monitor keeping him alive.

"Let us hope that our master pulls through."

* * *

Maybe another chapter of this might pop up in the next day or so. Maybe. We'll see what I get caught up with.

Follows/favourites/reviews determine the progress of this story.

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 11/07/2019** )


	8. Chpt 8: Scrapheap

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

It's a miracle! There's progress being made on this story! ...Albeit, very slowly... but still!

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.

\- Windswept and the slowly growing list of OC's belong to me.

(Chapter Title: Scrap Attacks and Chilly Expeditions)

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

In order to be the best and do the best they can, sometimes people had to do things they didn't want to do or were way out of their comfort zone. But they would have to push through it. They would have to be strong and determined to push through their task in order to complete it.

In this case, in the white snowy land known as the Arctic, a trio of Autobots had to brave the sub-zero conditions and the snow lightly dusting their armour in order to find what Ratchet had sent them to find.

Bulkhead, as the head of the pack, stopped to check the scanner he had been provided with, making sure the co-ordinates were sending him the right way. Bumblebee and Starlight paused behind him, the lone female wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm while Bumblebee held his arms out to stop the cold wind breezing through them.

" **Are we there yet?** " Bumblebee asked through his bleeps when Bulkhead changed the direction.

"No! We're not there yet!" The former Wrecker answered with a look at the scanner, "But it should be just past this ridge, Bumblebee!"

"Oh good!" Starlight sighed in relief as they continued their walk, "N-Not much further to go then."

The trio of Autobots reached the ridge of a cliff face and immediately jumped down, sliding on their feet down to the bottom. Landing safely, Bulkhead checked his scanner again, becoming slightly concerned about where it was taking him.

"I don't get it. These readings are off the meters!"

"Well, i-if we don't find anything soon, we can go s-straight home, r-right?" Starlight questioned in a stutter, finding herself becoming colder and colder.

She looked around, finding something to distract herself from the cold breeze that was blowing right through her frame. That's when she spotted it, something large in the ground that didn't look normal.

"Hey guys, check it out!" She motioned the two male Autobots, walking over to the sight she had found.

The three Autobots approached the find buried deep in the snow where a Cybertronian pod was buried deep within the ice

Starlight whispered in disbelief, "Holy scrap..."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"I told you, doc. We're fine!"

"The only way to be certain you're fine, Bulkhead, is to endure standard defrosting procedure!"

The second Starlight, Bumblebee and Bulkhead had returned home, Ratchet had each one of them hooked up to machines to help the defrosting procedure. It was standard to do this as it was needed if they didn't want anything to go wrong within their systems in the future.

I watched in amusement when Bulkhead pulled off the cables connected to his chassis, standing up to full height. Frustrated by the lack of cooperation, Ratchet sat the Autobot back down on the ground.

"You know prolonged exposure to sub-zero conditions can cause permanent system damage!"

"Ratchet, have you learned anything more about the arctic find?" Optimus asked as he and Arcee approached.

"Not yet," Ratchet answered simply, looking at the computer screen recording the room that was currently holding the ice-coated pod, "The pod can't be opened while it's frozen solid."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The still ice-covered pod continued to thaw in the containment room, having the warm, orange heaters helping the thawing process. Already, a huge section of the pod had been thawed out, the ice melting into water and beginning to flood that section of the room.

Inside the pod, its' contains were already awakening and were already scuttling to try and break free from its' pod that would've become its' home for many many years while it rested in the frozen white lands of the Arctic.

Suddenly, the creature inside the pod began breaking through the pod. The hole it created continued to get bigger and bigger, now able to stick a claw out from its' home...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The Saturday drive from Carly's place to base was peaceful. The sun was still rising, the air was cool but crisp and there was nobody in sight between us and Autobot base.

It was perfect.

" _ **Arcee to Windswept, do you read?**_ "

... Yeah, I may have spoken too soon.

"Loud and clear Arcee. What's up?"

" _ **Optimus and I are going to the Arctic to search for anything that might give us clues about the pod Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Starlight brought home last night.**_ "

I knew where this was heading.

" _ **Ratchet's currently providing us with sensor lights on our insignias to help let us know when its' time to return to base and-**_ "

"And you want me and Carly to go pick up Jack for you," I interrupted to confirm.

Because we weren't using the private link, the radio we were using allowed everyone in close range to hear the conversation. So when Carly's grip tightened on the handlebars suddenly, I knew exactly why.

" _ **If you're able to.**_ "

"Of course, Arcee," I answered happily, "We'll see you back at base. Windswept out."

I skidded to a halt and performed a quick U-turn to begin the drive back into Jasper, Nevada. We weren't close to base anyway to be honest. We had just gotten on the lone road to itwhen Arcee commed. So she was lucky that she radioed in when she did.

"What did Bulk, Bee and Star find last night?" Carly asked.

"A Cybertronian pod buried deep in ice," I replied, "It's currently thawing out in a containment room back at base."

"Do you guys know what's inside it?"

"We won't know anything until the pod is properly thawed out. While the process continues, Optimus will probably be wanting to know how the pod got to the Arctic in the first place, hence why he and Arcee are going there."

"So, you guys have to search for anything OR everything just to find more traces about things like this?"

"Like I said, we won't know anything until the pod is thawed out."

In my rear-view mirror, I could see Carly nod in understanding before stopping and looking down, "Hey, uhhh, you do know where you're going right?"

I answered straight away, "Nope."

"Do you want me to tell you where to go?

"Please?"

Carly laughed and began talking about where Jack's place was, quickly disappearing off track and discussing how it was just him and his mother at home. Apparently, Jack's father mysteriously left when he was at a young age and his mother was left to fend for the pair of them. She also told me about how Jack's mom and her and Raf's mother are close friends, the latter having provided help with Jack whenever his mom needed it.

That's kind of sweet. And kind of cute actually.

"So, is that when you started developing a crush on Jack Darby?" I asked her cheekily.

Her cheeks flushing red, Carly began stuttering immediately, "Ha, uhhhh...you're pretty funny, 'Swept... ahhh. Hmmm, what crush. Ha...ha..." Then she paused, her grip of the handlebars tightening, "How obvious is it?"

"Quite obvious, Carly."

She groaned loudly, "Ohhhh man... You won't tell anyone will you?"

"Of course I won't, Carly. Who am I gonna tell anyway?" I asked her rhetorically.

"Oh phew... thank y-"

"But that doesn't mean that I won't tease you about it."

"Ughhhhh, seriously?"

"More than dead serious, my favourite human."

Carly perked up a little at that comment, but it did nothing calm her about the fact that I was going to begin teasing her about her crush on Jack. I twisted my rear-view mirrors upwards to see the helmet-covered head of Carly.

"So how long have you had a crush on him for?" I asked her curiously.

"It's uhhh, complicated, 'Swept," she sighed, her grip loosening as we neared Jack's place.

I went to asked her about how it was complicated, but I had to quickly shut my mouth as we pulled up beside the walkway in front of Jack's property. He was waiting beside the letter box with his phone in one hand and his helmet in the other. Arcee probably rung to let him know she wasn't going to be picking him up today.

Jack looked up and chucked his phone into his front pocket, walking up to us, "Hey Carly."

"Morning Jack," Carly greeted back with a smile.

"I suppose Arcee's already messaged you about the news?" I wondered knowingly.

"Yeah, though she didn't exactly say why. She just said that you guys were going to be picking me up," Jack answered as he placed his helmet over his head and began getting on my motorcycle form behind Carly, "Which is cool, by the way. Thanks for the ride."

"No problem, Jack." With that, I quickly began our drive back towards Autobot base.

Carly tightened her grip on the handlebars when Jack wrapped his hands around her waist. I smirked instantly.

Ahhh, I do love a good romance.

* * *

"Arcee and I will search for any clue that will explain the origin of our arctic find."

Hearing Optimus' voice at the other side of tunnel told me that he and Arcee were just about to leave base for the Arctic. I quickly kicked up a gear to make sure Arcee and Jack got to say goodbye to each other before she left for the day.

Throughout the entire ride here, Jack and Carly were talking about how they were thankful it was the weekend and what homework they had been given that needed to be completed before Monday. I picked on a few things during their discussion.

They had a small number of classes together, one of them was called a 'home-room' - I wasn't going to ask questions, I didn't want to butt in. I picked on them knowing each other for quite a number of years. I knew this, but I didn't realise they had known each other for _that_ long. I also picked up that Jack wouldn't let the conversation end straight away. He always had something to say and when the conversation came close to finishing, he immediately changed the subject to continue their chat further.

Hmmm, maybe the romance wasn't one-sided. Why did Carly say it was complicated in the first place?!

"Only until your sensors sound. Remember, once your core temperature drops into the blue zone, system failures aren't likely. They're imminent."

We drove into the Autobot base with Bulkhead and Bumblebee behind us just as Ratchet had finished his warning to Arcee and Optimus. We stopped just at the tunnel's entrance and quickly, the four humans started dispatching themselves from us.

"Miss us, Doc Bot?" Miko asked the medic with her head out the passenger side of Bulkhead.

Ratchet moaned, probably at the thought of having the humans spending the entire day with him, "Shouldn't they be in school?" I don't think he's fussed about having them around still.

Tough luck, Ratch. I like them, and so does everyone else. They're staying!

"On a Saturday?" Miko scoffed in disbelief as Bulkhead, Bumblebee and I transformed out of our vehicle forms, "We have the whole weekend off to spend with you!"

"I wasn't expecting to carpool. What gives, Arcee?" Jack asked his guardian when he and Carly began approaching her and Optimus.

"Tag team, Jack. It's my turn for exploration duty," She answered.

"Too bad," the boy remarked, "It's a beautiful day for a ride. Would hate for you to feel guilty for leaving me indoors!"

"ARCTIC exploration duty."

"Indoors where it's warm," Jack immediately decided and walked away with a smirking Carly beside him.

"The Arctic? I've always wanted to see snow!" Raf gushed excitedly as he approached Optimus and Arcee.

"I would invite you to join, Rafael. But the conditions are much too extreme, even for we Autobots," Optimus sighed.

"I…understand," Raf nodded in understanding and in hidden disappointment.

Now with his mouth guard activated, Optimus nodded at the small boy before he and Arcee turned to walk away into the Groundbridge. They didn't get very far when Optimus turned back to Raf, "But I will bring you back a snowball."

"That would be awesome!"

The excitement of that prospect on his face brought a smile to my own - it was cool that despite Optimus' strict and sometimes distant nature, he still had a kind spark. Unlike you Ratchet...

Without another word, Optimus and Arcee began their walk into the Groundbridge. In a quick flash, the two had disappeared through the portal, preparing for their scouting of the Arctic.

"Transportation complete," Ratchet announced as he went to switch the Groundbridge system off.

Before he had to chance to, the controls sparked with electricity, shutting the Groundbridge controls off for him,"By the All-Spark!"

I shared a look with Starlight - that didn't seem good...

"So…what do you guys think we should do today?" Miko asked when she and the rest of her friends had reached the top step of the balcony.

Bumblebee instantly began whirring and making signals with his hands, trying to get Miko and Jack to understand. But his charge and his charge's older sister were able to figure it out pretty quickly.

"Video game tournament!"

"Last one standing wins!" Raf laughed, knowing that he was the last one to sit on the couch.

"YOU LOT! HERE! NOW!" Ratchet called out to us desperately.

The four of us exchanged a disappointed, but concerning look as we made our way over to the Groundbridge controls. Since Starlight and I saw the Groundbridge controls sparking as soon as Optimus and Arcee left, I could only presume that that was why Ratchet was bossing us over to him.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

As Raf waved goodbye to his guardian for the moment, who was bleeping his apologies for having to leave him, he began reaching out towards the small table for the couch where one of the controllers were resting. He went to grab it, but missed as Miko snatched the controllers away and held one of them out tauntingly towards Jack.

"Prepare to be destroyed!"

"Uh. Yeah. Not really my thing, Miko," Jack declined with a yawn.

"Oh? Scared of losing to a girl?" Carly tormented Jack, leaning against the couch behind him.

Jack sighed, snatching the controller unknowingly off Raf, "Bring it!"

"No mercy!"

Raf watched his friends play the video game with a glum expression. He wasn't so surprised that they were already ignoring him. Most of the time, he was always ignored at home – he'd even shout to the rooftops and most of them still wouldn't take a second glance at him. Most of his siblings were older than him and they were more concerned about things teenagers were always concerned about. He wasn't even thirteen yet. And his parents only noticed him when they were checking up on his grades. Even then, they still ignored him because they're was nothing in his excellent marks that sparked concern.

Noticing the glum look on the younger boy's, Jack held out his controller towards him, "Hey, Raf. You wanna take on Miko for me?"

"Nah," Raf shook his head, "I have stuff to do." With that, he slipped off the couch and began walking to the stairs.

Miko and Jack shrugged at one another, continuing their racing game.

"Hey Raf." The small boy turned around at his name, looking up and finding his older sister looking at him with a comforting look. "Let's leave these 'mature teenagers' alone and go play Arctic Survival in the hallways!"

Almost everyone ignored him except for his sister Carly.

The grin appearing on Raf's face went from ear to ear. Arctic Survival was one of the first games he and Carly played together a few weeks after Alejandro's death. It was the game that saved Carly from her spiral downwards. Looking over at everyone else, the two slipped out of sight and into the hallway.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

As we made our way over to Ratchet, I noticed him fiddling with the Groundbridge controls that were still sparking and cackling with blue electricity. He kept pulling the lever up and down like he was opening a Groundbridge... only the Groundbridge wouldn't open.

Uh-oh.

"You can't boss us around when the boss is out!" Bulkhead began arguing behind us.

"I need some heavy lifting. The Groundbridge is down!" Ratchet announced.

Bulkhead quickly stopped in his argument at the words while Starlight gasped and brought a hand to her mouth.

"Oh no!"

" **What about Optimus and Arcee?** " Bumblebee quickly asked.

"Optimus and Arcee made it through just fine. It's bringing them back that concerns me," Ratchet answered before looking at us and pointing to the panels near the Autobot logo, "Now remove those panels. Chop chop!"

Better get to work!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Meanwhile, deep within the corridors of the base, the sounds of gushing wind rushing through the tall hallway, and light, but struggling footsteps were the only noises being made through the back of base.

Well, the gushing wind noises wouldn't be happening if Raf wasn't making them.

"…Temperatures sub-zero and dropping," Carly groaned in fake struggle, holding her arms out in front of her to block the faux wind breezing past the siblings.

"…Gotta…get back…to base…!" Raf yelled as the 'wind' pushed him back a few steps.

Carly looked behind her and went to reach out to Raf to help him when the sound of metal clanging halted them in the middle of their game. The two stood to full height and spotted a loose screw lying on the ground. Curious, the teenage girl walked over to the screw, kneeling down to pick it up, "Now you weren't lying here before..."

Looking up at her brother, the two instantly heard a similar metal sound high above them. They looked up in curiosity, but found nothing to place the sounds to. Carly pushed the screw through her belt loop, grabbed Raf's shoulder and guided him slowly down the corridor in fear.

The metal sound appeared again, this time scuttling in front of them. Carly missed whatever it was that had gone past, but Raf caught sight of it, adjusting his glasses, "Hello?"

The metal sound appeared once more, this time from behind them. Carly looked but found nothing. Now things was getting a little freaky.

Raf walked backwards, deciding that it was time to end the game there and head back to the main room, where he knew he was safe. Spinning around, he screamed as he tripped forwards suddenly.

His sister looked behind her and found her brother on the ground. Quickly, she raced to his side, checking him over, "Raf! You okay?" Instantly, she found her little brother distracted by something in front of him. She looked up, finding a small metal creature peering at them curiously and shyly, blinking its' eyes.

Raf screamed again, leaping away from it in fright as if it was going to attack him. He shielded his eyes for the moment, still keeping an eye on the creature, who just stood there and looked at him curiously before scuttling towards him.

"Where did you come from?" The boy asked nervously, laughing at the cuteness coming off the creature, its' big eyes watching him stand up.

"Windswept and the rest of the bots' never mentioned anything about pets," Carly cooed, her attentions locked on the small creature. Remembering the screw on her belt loop, she pulled it into her grasp.

"You wanna play fetch?" Raf offered as his sister passed the screw over to him. He began waving it in the air, watching as the little machine jumped and began running around, squealing happily at the sight, "Good boy! Go get it!"

The two watched as the little metal creature ran towards the screw that Raf throw. With skill, he managed to grab the screw the second time it bounced... and quickly began sawing it away, eating at it.

"No! Don't eat that! You're gonna..." Carly trailed off when the little creature turned back around unharmed and quickly ran back over to them. The brown-haired girl looked at the metal creature in confusion, "Choke?"

"Or not." Raf laughed as their new pet nuzzled itself against his jeans.

The siblings exchanged a happy smile and began walking back to the main room of the base with their new friend in tow, excited to possibly meet more of their friends. However, they failed to notice the wires that had been torn apart, cackling with blue electricity, as well as the switch that had been completely eaten through behind him...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"Come on. Come on. You want some?!"

While we were pulling the tiles up off the floor of the base, Jack and Miko were continuing their racing on the gaming console we had acquired for them with the help of Agent Fowler. We also got them that couch and that little table as well.

I looked up once to see how Carly and Raf were but they had disappeared, the other two humans had said they had gone down the corridor. I had shrugged it off - they were probably better off going to create their own fun in the corridors then watching Jack and Miko play video games all day without giving them a chance to play.

"In! Your! FACE!" I could hear Jack dancing around in victory. I think he was proud to have finally won a race against Miko.

The power flicked out suddenly. I looked around to see if it was any one us that had accidentally pulled out one of the components in the ground that powered the electricity.

"WHAT THE? Great! Power failure!"

"Awwww…it wiped out our game!"

"But…I was winning!"

"Bummer..."

Jack was the only one whining about his game as Miko was smirking in fake disappointment. He was whining so much because he was finally winning something against the girl for the first time ever. They had only known each other for two weeks - Carly said to me once she hates playing games with Miko. Mmm, I'm starting to figure out why. Miko's a a fierce competitor who hates losing with a passion. The crashing video game was probably her saving grace.

I looked back at the sparking Groundbridge components hiding underneath one of the tiles on the floor. Ratchet slipped one out of its' socket, and what he showed us of it caught our attention. The component was half destroyed and black around the edges... Well, that's not good...

"We most definitely have a problem."

Really Ratchet? I hadn't noticed...

"What could have caused this?" Starlight asked with concern as Jack and Miko joined us on the ground.

The electricity flickered above us again, causing Bulkhead to continue from Starlight, "Or that?"

"Might be the main grid. Hopefully, it isn't a substation malfunction," Ratchet hoped.

My eyes narrowed at the component, seeing how weirdly damaged it was. Starlight grabbed it off Ratchet when he held it out for her to take off him. I looked over at it in her servo.

"This isn't just an ordinary damage," Starlight whispered in realisation, "These are bite marks."

Bite marks?! ... Where's Raf and Carly?!

"Hey, guys!"

"Come check out what we found!"

Oh thank Primus!

"We're busy!" Ratchet shouted.

We looked up to see Raf and Carly walking in from the corridor, unharmed and looking a bit too happy than normal.

Ratchet began screaming in terror suddenly at Raf. My optics looked down at what he had...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

That's why Ratchet had begun screaming...

We immediately stood to full height, activating our weapons and taking a few steps back from the humans. Bulkhead started screaming while Bumblebee had an arm in front of Starlight... A protective arm, I may add.

"Hey! Hey!" Miko screamed at the sight of our weapons, her and Jack rushing to protect their friends from our weapons, "What's with you guys?"

"Scraplet!" Bulkhead immediately cried in answer, "SCRAPLET!"

"What's a Scraplet?" Raf asked innocently, trying to see over Miko and Jack's shoulders.

"The most dangerous vermin ever to crawl upon the face of Cybertron," Ratchet growled in answer.

"This?" My charge quickly began to scoff in disbelief. Jack and Miko exchanged a look and moved aside while Carly motioned to the little metal creature in Raf's arms, "You've gotta be kidding me!" Then her disbelieving eyes meet my ones that were full of fear, and her expression immediately changed, "Right?"

"You're giant robots!" Miko argued, motioning her hand towards the little piece of scrap, "Scrappy here is…teeny."

'Scrappy' maybe teeny, but they pack a literally mean bite!

"You have no idea the damage that teeny thing could do!" Bulkhead retorted fearfully, taking more steps towards the tunnel.

Raf shook his head, "Aw, he wouldn't hurt anything."

That was when the Scraplet awoke in his arms...

... And spotted us...

Probably, its' first proper meal was standing right before him.

The little metal creature opened its' mouth in hunger, showing us the rows of razor-sharp teeth just waiting to chomp down on some metal. Snapping its' jaws, it broke free of Raf's arms and immediately charged its' way towards us. Apart from Ratchet, we all immediately began firing desperate blaster shots at the creature. It did nothing to distract Scrappy, who leaped onto Bumblebee and began chomping up the armour on his ankle.

Our teammate fell down to the ground in sudden pain - this, Carly, Jack, Miko, Raf - is what your 'teeny' creature can do!

'Bee pulled the Scraplet off his knee armour in anger, getting ready to throw it away. But the Scraplet was too smart and leaped out of his hand, starting to chomp away at his wrist. Starlight suddenly grabbed a hold of the little piece of scrap and threw it away from us angrily.

I couldn't help but hid behind Starlight - I know, I'm a coward - when the Scraplet started scuttling towards us to make its way to us again to get revenge on Starlight…only to be smacked dead by Raf using a crowbar, continuously hitting him and hitting him until Jack grabbed a hold of the weapon just as the younger boy was ready to give the Scraplet another hit.

"Easy there, killer," Jack joked, taking the crowbar out of the boys' hands.

While he began taking deep breathes, Carly placed her hands on his shoulders to comfort him. She had only just done so when Raf decided to race away from her and towards the downed Bumblebee.

"Whoa, I did not see that coming!" I heard Miko remark to Jack.

We crowded around Bumblebee as Ratchet checked over the wound he got from the Scraplet. Starlight rubbed his shoulder comfortingly as I bent down to get a look at the wound with Ratchet. Bulkhead joined us at the medic's other side.

"I'm sorry, Bumblebee!"

'Bee quickly began bleeping to Raf about he was fine and didn't want him to be worried.

"Is he gonna be OK?" Carly asked Ratchet worriedly when she came over to us, "Is he? Is he? Is he?"

"Only a mesh wound. He'll live."

"Now do you believe me? All Scraplets do is dismantle machinery and eat anything metal! Especially living metal!" Bulkhead exclaimed.

"Well…bug squashed," Jack began, him and Miko joining us.

"Game over…right?" Carly asked nervously.

Oh I wish.

"No. When it comes to Scraplets, there's never just one," Ratchet retorted darkly, looking down the corridor behind us, "And I fear I know how they got in here."

I widened my optics in realisation.

The Cybertronian pod!

* * *

We raced to the containment room holding the Cybertronian pod as quickly as we could with our human friends. The room was still warm thanks to the heaters Ratchet had set up to help speed up the thawing process.

But I don't think that pod needed that much thawing after all...

The massive hole in the pod was made from the inside, kind of like Starlight's when we first found her escape pod. But she didn't gnaw her way out of hers like the Scraplets have...

"It's a trap," Ratchet proclaimed, using his handheld torch to get a better look at the inside of the pod, "A Scraplet trap."

"Uh…can I add that it is a..." Starlight trailed off to gulp in fear, not moving anywhere away from Bumblebee, who was hiding behind Ratchet and the humans, "Empty Scraplet trap."

"Most likely ejected into space aeons ago," Ratchet summarised.

"Only to end up in the Arctic where the freezing temperatures there kept them in stasis," I added, looking at the pod. Behind me, Bulkhead continued to shake in fear. Poor Bulk...

"Until we brought the thaw," Jack realised.

"And now they're wide awake..." Miko began, looking at Carly.

"And ready to brunch."

"So…how many are we talking about?" Raf asked nervously.

I looked down at the humans. Each of them were now equipped with a pipe, ready to attack any Scraplets that came our way. Except for Raf – he was still equipped with that crowbar. I don't think he was too keen on the thought of NOT having it in his hands.

"Thousands," Ratchet answered gravely, transforming his torch back into his servo, "And the power malfunctions and the Groundbridge damage are sure signs their infestation is well underway."

I hope Arcee and Optimus are doing okay in the Arctic. 'Cause if not, well... we're gonna have a lot of big problems...

No! Think positive, 'Swept! Arcee and Optimus are doing okay, Arcee and Optimus are doing okay! We'll beat these Scraplets, we'll beat these Scraplets!

... I hope...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

In the cold Arctic storm that had begun during his time scouting, Optimus scaled down the icy cliff in front of him, trying to not let the cold get to him. Covered in nothing but the white fluffs of snow, he held onto the cliff with one hand while he he took a look at his scanner in the other, figuring out where to head next.

Before he got a proper look at the scanner, his sensors began to beep and the Autobot logos on his shoulders began to flash blue, notifying him that it was time to return to base.

"Arcee," The Prime began speaking into the comm-link, not being close by Arcee to properly speak to her.

He hoped Arcee was faring better than he was but with her small size, he suspected that she would probably be faring a little bit worse than him. Arcee was a strong two-wheeler however; she won't allow the cold to get to her that easily.

" _ **What's your status?**_ "

Arcee had been looking around on top of a different cliff face when her sensors started to go off and the Autobot logo's on her winglets began to flicker too.

"My sensor's going off. Guess we should call for pickup before things get chilly."

Optimus nodded at her statement in agreement, knowing that they needed to get back home for Ratchet to put the machines on them to help the defrost process of him and Arcee before the cold did any serious damage to their systems.

"Optimus to base. Core temperature readings have reached the blue zone. Prepare to activate Groundbridge."

He was more than just surprised when he got static in response. It concerned him. Ratchet always replied to him when he commed in. Always. He starred out at the white land before him, his optics trying to figure out an answer.

What was going on back at base?

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The first thing Ratchet tried to do when we returned back to the main room was to try and contact Optimus and Arcee to let them know what was happening here in base. The screens above us were flickering, trying to stay alive and alert as the profiles of our teammates came up, showing us where in the Arctic they were.

"Ratchet to Optimus, do you read me? We have a situation!" Before he could fully explain the situation, the radio died and the screens went blank.

Well scrap.

"The Scraplets have gotten into the com-link system!" Ratchet yelled in frustration, slamming down on the controls and turning to us, "If we don't eradicate these creatures immediately, they will reduce this entire base to a scrapheap!"

"Well, I say we bug out of here and let them keep it!" Bulkhead decided in a panic. Beside him, Bumblebee whirred and Starlight nodded quickly in agreement.

"Evacuation is not an option!" Ratchet told them.

I moved beside the medic in agreement, "We need to get that Groundbridge back online stat. We'll lose Optimus and Arcee if we don't get them out of the Arctic."

Yes, I was frightened, terrified, every single word that meant scared! But I'm not leaving a teammate behind no matter the situation, especially since Optimus was our leader and Arcee was the closest thing I have to a sister. Knowing all that was giving me more courage than I should've had.

Jack gasped worriedly, "They will?" I think he was realising the true extent of how bad the situation was becoming.

Miko's hands curled into fists, storming up to the protective bars of the balcony, "Bulkhead, you never run!"

"Miko, you haven't seen a swarm of these things devour a bot! I have. They pick you apart from the inside-out! Going for the small juicy bits first, fuse by fuse, circuit by circuit till there's nothing left! And I mean NOTHING! Not even your optics."

... Thanks Bulkhead... I felt super positive about the situation now...

Starlight shivered in fear opposite me, causing Bumblebee to rub her arms comfortingly.

There's been a lot of servo contact between those today...

"You have to let us help," Jack begged.

Raf nodded behind him, "We're not made of metal!"

"Yeah. Those Scraplets can't hurt us," Miko piped in, pointing her thumb at herself.

"Typically, I find your fleshiness you be your least engaging quality," Ratchet began. I rolled my optics at his smart comment as he continued, "But it would appear to provide an advantage under these extremes."

"OK good. So we team off?" Carly suggested, "Two bots, one human. Or two humans, one bot."

"I'll watch your back while you repair the Groundbridge, Ratchet," Jack proclaimed.

"Count me too," I decided immediately.

Scrap all that 'no matter the situation' nonsense! Come on! These are SCRAPLETS we are messing with here! SCRAPLETS!

"And we go on a bug hunt," Miko decided.

Behind her, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Starlight exchanged nervous glances. Bulkhead groaned in fear, Bumblebee whirred while his frame shaked, and Starlight's winglets twitched rapidly.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Because no one replied to their desperate pleas to return to base, Optimus and Arcee knew they had no choice but to brave the cold and worsening storm. The Prime was walking ahead, attempting to get a better signal to be able to contact base. Arcee struggled behind him, the bitter winds chilling her joints and armour.

"Optimus to base, do you read?"

Behind him, Arcee fell to the ground, struggling to survive the current situation. The Prime turned around at the sound his teammate made upon contact with the snowy ground. Quickly, he progressed back towards her to help her up. He was well aware of the fact that she was much smaller and also weaker than him in strength.

As Arcee began climbing to her knees, she became painfully aware of the fact that she was slowly growing weaker and weaker due to the bitter storm rushing through her. She knew that if the Groundbridge never came, or if the storm didn't let up, then things would slowly get worse.

Optimus' large servo appeared on her back and another wrapped around her arm, helping her to her feet. Optimus Prime was always the gentleman, no matter the situation.

"Are you sure a nice long drive wouldn't help? I hear that Miami's beautiful this time of year," Arcee joked, brushing the snow off her arm.

"The nearest temperate climate is too dangerous. Attempting to reach it would expend too much energy and hasten the freezing process. Until Ratchet sends for us-" The Prime cut himself off, looking at Arcee before she could protest, "And he will – our best option would be to seek shelter and insulate ourselves."

If only they knew what was happening back at their home. Maybe the Arctic wouldn't be so bad in comparison.

* * *

Meanwhile, the bug hunt at Autobot base began. Exploring deep in the corridor where the first Scraplet had been found, Miko and Bulkhead were slowly, but steadily, walking down the hallway with Carly as their guide. She and Miko were walking in front of the Autobot, their weapons in their hands ready to be thrown around if need be.

"I get to be your bodyguard for once. How cool is that?" Miko gushed excitedly, wrench in hand.

Bulkhead swung his blaster in one servo and the torch in the other around behind her, looking through every gap in the wall just in case a tiny, cute Cybertronian-eating piece of scrap was waiting to collect its' dinner, "Carly, you and Raf found the first one here…right?"

Before said human could answer, the lights flickered off suddenly. The girls exchanged a worried look before they heard what they thought was the most girlish scream they had heard in their life. As the lights flashed back on, they exchanged a knowing look. Neither of them made that screaming noise.

But rather, the Autobot behind them.

"Did you just scream like a little girl?" They asked in unison, looking behind them at the former Wrecker.

"No!" Bulkhead shook his head in disbelief at first, then looked away for a moment, "Maybe…can we talk about this later?"

The girls shrugged before they and Bulkhead continued. As they turned the corner for the next corridor, Carly found it surprisingly weird they hadn't come across any Scraplets. Didn't Ratchet say there was more than just one Scraplet travelling around the base?

When the sound of metal clanging with metal high above him, Bulkhead immediately whipped around at the noise.

"Take 'er easy, Bulk. Just stay focused Everything is going to be-"

Miko's attempt to reassure her guardian was cut off by him when he heard more metallic clanging and allowed his fear to get the better of him, shooting at the walls suddenly.

Miko and Carly raced ahead of Bulkhead as he started up his girlish screaming again. They turned around with their weapons at the ready... when they discovered the Autobot covered in cables dangling from the roof that he had shot at it. Their mouths hung open in disbelief.

"OK. Wish I hadn't seen that," Miko whispered to Carly before trying to calm down her guardian, "Bulkhead! You're fine!"

"It's just a bunch of cables!" Carly reminded, pointing at them with her pipe she was using as a weapon.

That stopped Bulkhead's screaming and his arm waving immediately. Grabbing at one of the cables, he pulled himself together, laughing awkwardly, "Oh. Right. Cables." He tugged down one of them.

But the second he did so, the sphere-shaped pieces of metal known as Scraplets suddenly flew down around him, charging at the Autobot from all directions...

* * *

In a different part of the base, Raf was protecting not only his guardian, but his guardian's new friend in Starlight. They stood in a defensive position when they turned the corner, ready to attack at whatever came their way when they found something interesting in front of them.

Bumblebee looked down at his charge, bleeping his concerns about the Scraplets being close by.

"Don't these things ever stop eating?" Raf asked in annoyance, running to the other side of the corridor.

"The amount of times that question has been asked before..." Starlight shook her helm at the thought.

At the other side of the hallway was an air vent that had been chewed through by the vermin. Bumblebee took one nervous glance behind him before joining Starlight and Raf. Moving their young friend out of the way, Bumblebee and Starlight ripped open the remainder of the vent. The young boy guarding them let out a warrior cry, ready to attack anything waiting on the other side.

Thankfully, nothing was waiting for them, but the sound of metal clanging soon got their attention. Nervously, they looked behind at a floor drain where the noise was coming from. The nerves inside each of the trio turned into fear as the Scraplets appeared from the drain, leaping up and heading to the Autobots to begin their attack. Bumblebee and Starlight began shooting almost immediately at the vermin, despite knowing that they were fighting a losing battle.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Ratchet and I were desperately at work, trying to repair the Groundbridge to bring Optimus and Arcee back from the Arctic. Or to at least contact them and let them know what was going on here.

"How's it going over there?" Jack nervously asked nearby, playing bodyguard to us for a change.

"I've repaired the damage conductors and re-routed the central conduits. But the Groundbridge still won't receive power!" Ratchet reported in anger, punching the floor beside him.

I wanted to get angry at the medic's frustration, but I took a breathe instead and spoke as calmly as I could, "Ratchet, Calm down. Doing that won't get you nowhere. You have to keep trying!" I failed miserably at the end when my fear took over.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of metal scuttling. Metal scuttling that was very, very close by. Jack must have heard it too as he held up his metal pipe to ready himself for an attack. I looked at the air vents high above and found our worst fears all huddled up and climbing the wall.

Maybe if we stay quiet enough, they won't notice we're here...?

Then they spotted us.

I gulped and whispered, "Ratchet..." I swallowed away my fear briefly and stood up, activating my blaster at them.

Come at me you little pieces of scrap!

The Scraplets bared their snappy and razor-sharp denta, leaping off the wall towards us!

On second thought... GO AWAY YOU LITTLE PIECES OF SCRAP!

"Whoa!" Jack yelled out, obviously not prepared by this development.

Didn't we tell them that they could fly?

"They fly? YOU NEVER SAID THEY COULD FLY!"

Whoopsie.

Ratchet and I were backing away helplessly from the swarm and towards the Groundbridge tunnel. I briefly considered the thought of just fleeing the base and coming back another day. I pushed those thoughts away when they little scraps began their attack, knocking Ratchet down. I flipped to the side to escape the first swarm. But these things aren't stupid and they immediately got to me, beginning their attack. I fell onto my hands and knees, screaming to get them off.

"RATCHET! WINDSWEPT!" Jack yelled, beginning to swing his metal pipe around at our enemies.

There's too many of them. Swinging around a metal pipe wasn't going to do anything!

Think Windswept think! What do Scraplets hate the most?

... Cold... they hate the cold!

"JACK! THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER!" Ratchet and I exclaimed.

Jack immediately ditched the pipe, running to grab the fire extinguisher beside the ladder. Quickly, he got to work and began spraying the foam over Ratchet and I to kill the vermin that were feeding off us.

The Scraplet's lifeless bodies soon began falling onto the ground around us. Thank Primus!

... Though, that didn't mean that they weren't any more. I heard the familiar whirring above me. I chose not to look up. I knew what was up there.

Death.

The severely weakened Bulkhead arrived in the room first, followed by the also severely weakened Bumblebee and Starlight, who were helping each other walk. I automatically knew they had been attacked by the little pieces of scrap.

"Ratchet, get the patch kit. We're leaking Energon like-WHOA!" Bulkhead didn't even get a chance to finish what he was saying when he saw the next wave of Scraplets above us. They must have seen him, Star and 'Bee too - they must've considered it as fresh meat - well not so fresh but still, - 'cause they began their attack on them.

Bumblebee and Starlight shot at the little scraps. When they got too close, they shielded each other to protect themselves from the attack. Bulkhead used his mace to hit some of the Scraplets.

"EAT THIS!" But when the bulky green mech saw one of the little menace's gnawing at his hand, he began screaming like a little girl...

... Oh yeah, did I tell you that Bulkhead screams like a little girl?

Raf and Miko immediately began to help as they began to keep the Scraplets off their Autobots while Carly grabbed another fire extinguisher and ran to help Starlight. Scraplets were still attacking us and we knew that it still wasn't over. Even after we destroyed the ones that were attacking us.

Oh Primus please! Make this nightmare stop!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Unknown to what was happening back at their base, Optimus and Arcee were successful in finding a sheltered place for themselves. They would have to stay there until they were able to call back to base or the base called to them. Whichever came first.

A few minutes after finding and sheltering themselves in the small cavern, Optimus looked over to the curled-up Arcee with her helm on her arms resting on her knees. The Prime was immediately worried. He knew she was weaker than him and he feared that the cold was starting to get the better of her already.

"Arcee, wake up."

"Ughh. Just resting my eyes," Arcee whispered an answer, lifting her helm up and resting the side of her face on her arms to face Optimus.

"The longer we remain alert, the longer we remain alive," Optimus reminded her.

"What do you suggest?" The two-wheeler asked, trying to find a way to ignore the cold, "Wait... how about a game? Let's play 'Who screwed things up back at base'?"

"Our predicament could be the result of a simple malfunction," The Prime insisted.

"Caused by Bulkhead," Arcee decided, "Let's see. No com-link. Maybe even no power. The big lug probably tripped over a cord. He's never been too graceful. I remember when we first arrived on Earth and Bulkhead walked into those power lines." She began to laugh at the memory, "Who knew he could dance like that?"

"Bulkhead may be…too large for this world," Optimus agreed, "But his inner strength is without bounds. One should not be measured by size alone."

Nothing else was said. The two stared into the white land known as the Arctic, waiting for rescue…

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"We get them all?" Jack asked nervously as Miko and Raf finished off the last few Scraplets.

I looked up at Carly weakly, watching her spray the last of those piece of scraps that were at my torso. Her eyes glanced at mine and gave me a shaky smile. I knew that she must be scared - all of them probably were They had to watch us be gnawed to death by creatures that they probably knew they couldn't stop. I'd be traumatised by something like that if I was in their position.

We needed some sort of miracle. Anything please, Primus!

Starlight was falling in and out of consciousness beside me. 'Bee and I had to keep nagging her to open her optics. We, as well as Ratchet and Bulkhead, were all huddled up near the Groundbridge controls, reeling after the latest attack.

We could hear more humming from the Scraplets down the corridor, up in the ceiling, in the air vents... Ahhh forget it, they were everywhere!

"I doubt it," I struggled to whisper out.

"These were just scouts," Ratchet sighed sadly.

Bumblebee bleeped at the thought that the attack wasn't over, slamming his helm down near a crate.

"So the rest of them know we're in here?" Bulkhead questioned fearfully.

"I think so," I answered.

"And if we allow ourselves to become their next meal, Optimus and Arcee will never make it home. We **must** get the Groundbridge operational," Ratchet decided, fully determined.

"Then we can use it to send the Scraplets anywhere on Earth!" Raf realised.

"Why not back to the Arctic?" Jack suggested.

"Well, we already know that these little guys don't do cold!" Carly smirked as she patted my arm lightly before walking over to her friends.

"Sweet! One-stop shopping!" Miko remarked.

"Given the body mass of the Scraplets, sub-zero temperature should freeze them on contact," Ratchet thought aloud, "So think, Ratchet. THINK! ... If the Groundbridge is still down, then there must be a breach in the Energon fuel line!"

Bumblebee attempted to get up, wanting to go fix the Energon line, but whirred as he realised that he had lost too much energy, falling on the ground beside Starlight, who had fallen into unconsciousness when Ratchet decided that we needed to get the Groundbridge back online.

"If WE weren't breaching, one of us could get back over there and fix it," Bulkhead remarked.

"Where do we find it?"

We looked up at humans standing before us, Miko with her wrench, Jack and Carly with the fire extinguishers, and Raf with his crowbar. I smiled proudly.

Our little heroes.

"And how do we fix it?"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

With the instructions of how to fix the Groundbridge, the humans set off down the corridor, determined to fix the portal to help their friends get home and to send the vermin out of base for good.

The four humans tiptoed past the Scraplets that quite literally walked past them on the ground, baring their razor sharp teeth at them. Jack carried a metal tool box full of tools that would help them repair the breech in the Energon fuel line.

"Remember. We're OK. We're not metal," Jack reminded his friends.

Carly nodded as she continued to tip toe over the vermin. Less than an hour ago, she thought these little guys were the friendliest, and the cutest, little creatures she had seen on the planet.

Oh how wrong she immediately became.

Her eyes lightened up when she spotted the small drops of blue Energon leaking out of a tube nearby, "There's the breach!"

Racing towards it, Jack placed the tool box by the metal tube, "Come on! We have to work fast!

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"So if we get-"

"When!" I growled.

Think positive Bulkhead!

"WHEN we get the Groundbridge open, we send the creepy crawlies out or bring out bots in?" Bulkhead asked what probably was the million dollar question.

"Optimus and Arcee will be fresh meat!" I pointed out weakly.

"If we bring them in first, the Scraplets will have no reason to leave! We'll need bait," Ratchet realised.

"Where are we gonna get bait?" Bulkhead questioned angrily, "Those Scraplets have already helped themselves to everything in here!"

Not everything, Bulkhead.

I chose not to answer. Instead, I was saving my strength to prepare using MYSELF as bait to chase those pieces of scrap out of base before Optimus and Arcee would return to base. I hope they're doing okay. They must be getting cold out there...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The humans had nearly completed the fuel breach repair. They had worked as a team to speed up the progress with the thoughts of their Autobot friends pushing them to swiftly repair the Energon line. Just as Jack finished drilling the patch on, thousands of Scraplets flew by at rapid speeds, their razor sharp teeth showing and ready to feed as they flew into the air vent above the humans.

"They're getting ready to feed!" Raf cried as Carly helped him down from the top of the pipe.

"Come on!" She yelled, racing down the corridor with her friends behind her.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I hope the humans were doing okay repairing that breach. I was starting to get a little concerned of the fact that if weren't able to get this 'Bridge up and running, then we wouldn't be able to Optimus and Arcee home in time to save their frames from sustaining internal damage that could affect them for the rest of their lives.

The doors to the air vents suddenly rained down around us. I groaned.

The Scraplets were back for yet another round.

Bulkhead, who had gotten mostly back on his feet to go check up on the kids, jumped back on his backside in fright as we all shivered in fear of what was coming next.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

With the snow storm getting worse and worse, Optimus and Arcee weren't faring any better since finding the cavern they were using to shelter themselves. They had sprawled out beside each other in the snow, their bodies having become severely weakened from the bitter winds and the cold snow.

"You know the worst part?" Arcee asked, choosing now to speak as if it was going to be the last time she would ever speak to the Prime beside her, "After battling 'Cons all these years, getting smacked down, shot at, blown up, this is how our lights go out?"

"Arcee, this may not be the finish we had planned. But if this is indeed the end, if we are to become one with the All Spark…"

Arcee didn't know what Optimus saying. She didn't want to hear him say whatever he was going to say. But she didn't know what to do to stop him. That's when she spotted his large servo resting not to far away from her. She reached out, her servo landing on top of his.

Optimus slowly turned his servo over so it engulfed hers. It was a moment he would like to cherish. But Arcee... she was so weak at this point. He would live just a little longer because of him being a much taller, stronger Autobot than the petite femme. Arcee would perish in any moment.

And he would have to bare witness to the scene.

"It's been an honour serving with you, Optimus Prime," Arcee whispered, looking up at her leader.

Optimus could only nod at the quiet words spoken to him.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

We watched the Scraplets above us fly around, preparing themselves for their meal, waiting for us to prepare ourselves for the last time that we would ever see them.

"RATCHET! ALL SYSTEMS GO!"

I sat up weakly, watching Jack and Carly race into the room with Miko and Raf trailing after them. I sighed in relief.

"FIRE IT UP!" Miko instructed, pumping her fist into the air.

Ratchet struggled to a stand, "Groundbridge...activated..." He was able to flick the Groundbridge on just in time before he collapsed on the ground.

I held my breath...

The Groundbridge tunnel came to life before us.

The humans had done it!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

As Optimus prepared himself for the end, he could feel the faint sparkbeat of Arcee running through her arm, through her hand, into his own. He knew she was close. It wouldn't be long now.

It wouldn't be long before her spark finally gave out. It wouldn't be long before he would his would soon join hers to become one with the AllSpark.

A familiar noise made their way into his audio receptors before a blinding light appeared before him. Looking up weakly, Optimus saw the familiar green and blue swirls and widened his eyes.

It was a Groundbridge, arriving just in time to take him and Arcee back to their base. Back to their friends and teammates that were slowly becoming their family. Back to their home.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

With Ratchet now joining Starlight in unconsciousness, and Bumblebee not far behind him, it was now up to Bulkhead and I to find the piece of bait that would send the Scraplets into the Arctic and would freeze to death.

Little did Bulkhead know, the piece of bait was about to stand to full height before him.

My footing stumbled slight when a piece of the ceiling collapsed near us. But nonetheless, it wasn't going to stop me from sacrificing myself for the people that were quickly becoming my family. Both on this side and on the other side of the Groundbridge.

Clutching the crate desperately, I managed to get onto my two small feet, looking up at the swarming Scraplets above.

"Bait, huh?"

I looked down at Bulkhead, who was starting to get himself up with a smirk. I smirked back, stumbling over to him and reaching out my servo, "Need a hand?"

Using all the strength that I had, which wasn't much to be honest, I helped Bulkhead up to his feet. We stumbled over to the Groundbridge and began waving at the little scraps to gain their attention. Only one saw us, but in all honesty, we only needed one to see us anyway.

"Ready for the main course?" Bulkhead asked. The scraps bared their razor-sharp denta at us in response, "Come and get it!"

"It's gonna get a little chilly though," I smirked weakly as we began limping through the Groundbridge, the familiar humming of the Scraplets flying behind us.

They instantly caught up, beginning to gnaw at our frames once more. Bulk and I weren't going to let them stop us again. So we pressed on, leaping into the portal...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Upon discovering the Groundbridge, Optimus used all the strength he had left to help the weak Arcee to her feet. Groaning at the cold, the two struggled to the green and blue swirling portal, desperate to get to the warmth's of their base. Letting go of the hold her had on her back, the red and blue snow covered Autobot struggled to stand on his feet.

Arcee, meanwhile, collapsed after him, bending slightly to catch her energy as she pressed a hand to her hip.

As they paused, Optimus looked up and saw that someone was coming through the Groundbridge. Too weak to activate his weapons, he watched as the figures appeared before them.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

We limped through the 'Bridge portal in time to find Optimus and Arcee barely being able to stand. The poor things were covered in snow and struggling in the cold bitter winds around us.

With Scraplets chomping away at our frames, Bulkhead and I pushed on enough to warn Optimus and Arcee.

"DOWN! DOWN!" Bulkhead collapsed to allow the little scraps to fly past, pulling me down with him.

I watched as the Scraplets instantly found fresh meat within Optimus and Arcee, flying at high speeds to reach them. Optimus held out his large arm in front of Arcee to protect her, who was kneeling in the snow and watching the little enemies come towards her and Optimus.

The cold Arctic weather took hold of the Scraplets. They began falling in stasis all around Optimus and Arcee, half of them hitting my teammates as they fell to the ground.

Frozen.

Dead.

Finally.

With all of them now frozen beyond bringing them back to life, Optimus and Arcee looked over at us. Bulkhead began brushing off some of the frozen Scraplets that had landed on him before looking up.

"I'd invite you in. But the place is a mess."

I doubt that he and Arcee would really care about that, Bulk.

Our teammates only exchanged a look, probably now understanding why we took so long to bring them home. As I got onto my knees, I looked up to the sky, seeing the clouds break apart and revealing a small patch of blue sky.

Seriously? Now the sun begins to shine just as the horrendous day we all endured comes to a close?

Yeah, that does sum up our luck...

* * *

Out of everyone of us, Starlight and Arcee were the ones that were desperately in need of medical attention. I gave up one of the medical berths for Starlight while Optimus gave up his one for Arcee, despite Ratchet's protests. But he didn't argue with us much, his strength having been depleted to the point where he just needed to sit and rest.

Optimus rested beside him while I rested on the floor nearby, cross-legged and just simply looking around at everyone. Bulkhead was resting near Bumblebee's medical berth, just chatting away to him and asking how he was doing. Arcee was not too far away from Optimus and I, unconscious but resting comfortably. I couldn't help but find Optimus' optics wander over to her frame from time to time I think to make sure she was okay.

Starlight was resting in the medical berth behind me with Carly resting at the edge of the berth, putting the GlassPad that she had created for the science fair at the start of the week to good use and using it to keep track of Starlight's status.

Bulkhead wasn't wrong when he said the place was a mess. There were dead Scraplets everywhere! It as going to be fun cleaning up tomorrow! Kicking them around and squishing them till they were out of sight.

... Oh, I'm not joking by the way.

"Report bio-circuitry status," Ratchet requested.

"Levels are rising!" Jack answered from his laptop.

"Excellent. Rafael, Carly, keep a close watch on Bumblebee and Starlight's electro-pulse monitor. Miko, check Bulkhead's interface patch," Ratchet instructed.

"It's steady!" Raf and Carly announced, the latter leaping off Starlight's berth and heading over to her human friends.

"Looking good!" Miko observed looking away from Raf's laptop briefly to hold a thumbs up to Ratchet.

"Perhaps you should get some rest yourself, old friend. You saved quite a few lives today," Optimus advised.

"It wasn't all my doing," Ratchet pointed out as we looked over at the kids, "We're just fortunate this infestation happened on a Saturday."

"Our human friends may be small. But they are strong," Optimus complimented.

Suddenly, an audio receptor-curling scream was heard. A girly one at that. I went to look at Bulkhead, but almost instantly, I realised the scream wasn't coming from him.

But Bulkhead's own charge Miko?!

"Scraplet?" Jack asked as he, Carly and Raf stood in front of her with their weapons ready.

"SPIDER!" Miko screeched fearfully, causing the boys and Carly to give her a weird look, "Is it on me?" Continuing her screaming, she ran off, her arms going around her entire body to ensure she didn't have the 'spider' on her.

"…Did she just scream like a little girl?" Bulkhead asked.

Ratchet and Optimus shared an amused look while Jack dropped his weapon and crossed his arms in disbelief.

"Yes Bulkhead. I believe she-"

When Carly stopped talking suddenly, I instantly knew something else was wrong. She had gone frozen, even when Jack and Raf were poking her to get her to move.

Then _she_ screamed like a little girl.

"A RAT! EWWWWW!" Dropping her weapon on the ground with a loud clang, she instantly took off after her friend, "MIKO! WAIT UP!"

Bulkhead's jaw was literally hanging from his helm, turning back around to face me.

"...Did she just scream like a little girl?"

I had no answer for him. I shrugged in amusement of my human friend running off in fear of a little rodent. She was certainly Miko's friend alright.

But it reminded me of the fact that I still had so much to learn about her. Just like she had so much to still learn about me too. Maybe sometime in the distant future, we'll know everything there is to know... That's how friendships continue to evolve, right?

* * *

School starts up again tomorrow right through to end of next month. So progress will probably slow down again... I can't guarantee any promises regarding on when the next chapter is going to be. This year has been so unpredictable and I don't think that it'll stop. I guess you guys will just have to be patient and wait.

Follows/favourites/reviews tell me to get writing when I get the email about them... A few of those, and maybe you'll get the next chapter sooner than expected. ;)

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 11/07/2019** )


	9. Chpt 9: Con Job

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

I do try my hardest on this story. Seriously I do. I've just had a small case of writer's block and I've taken some time to just stop and start seriously considering my future. With all the free time that I'm soon gonna come across in not even three weeks time, I'll try to update as much as possible then.

This chapter seriously would've been up earlier. But I had issues uploading the document and doing some massive rewriting in places to fix up sections of the story where I felt they didn't belong and or needed to be expanded upon further.

Thank you to Niceguymad for following this story.

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept and the slowly growing list of OC's belong to me.

(Chapter Title: Sunny Job)

* * *

It's been about a week since the Scraplet infestation. Despite the damage we all received, we've pull ourselves together to regroup and clean up the mess the little pieces of scrap left behind. We've all managed to heal up pretty good too, despite the damage we all received from those little Scraplets, or the Arctic exploration in Optimus and Arcee's case.

Speaking of, I think I'm only one who's noticed that 'Cee and Optimus haven't really kept an optic off each other since their near-fatal expedition. At first I presumed that they were just keeping an optic out for each other in case they were more wounded than at first glance. But the more I've noticed it, the more I've become convinced that something happened out there.

But hey, it's not my business so I'm not going to bother them about it.

Still...

"Alright! Chores are done!" Miko interrupted me from my thoughts. I spotted her on Bulkhead's shoulder from the corridor. "Now can we do some dune bashing?"

"I don't know, Miko. Last time, I spent a lot of time picking sand out of my articulators. But there's a monster truck rally in town."

A sudden noise coming from the controls Ratchet was working at didn't allow Miko the chance to reply.

"Optimus! I'm receiving a signal from a restricted band." Optimus, Bumblebee, Arcee and I walked up behind our medic as he continued, "It appears to be coming from a starship within the solar system." He typed something to get the signal to pop up on the screens.

I instantly realised what kind of signal it was, "It's an Autobot Identification Beacon!"

Jack spun around, "So there are other bots out there?"

"The masses scattered when Cybertron finally went dark," Arcee explained, "But 'Cons have been known to bait traps with false beacons."

"I turned up nearly two weeks ago and I haven't put a foot wrong!"

Arcee looked at me with a frustrated look when Star piped up. I only responded with a helpless and slightly amused shrug.

Starlight wasn't wrong.

"Unknown vessel, this is Autobot Outpost Omega One. Identify yourself," Optimus requested in an attempt to make contact with the signal.

" _ **Me and my comrades have had warmer welcomes from Decepticon Combat Brigades.**_ "

"Wheeljack? You old 'Con Crusher!" Bulkhead suddenly barged past us, "What are you doing all the way out here?"

Wheeljack... I think I've heard that name before...

" _ **Bulkhead? That you?**_ "

" _ **Dude, what's with all the security' round here? Someone's gotta know!**_ "

My audio receptors picked up on the second voice immediately. His voice was familiar, very, very familiar. He was somebody I practically spent my growing up period with at Iacon. He was one of my closest friends and my partner, and someone who I considered my brother since we so many years each other's sides.

...But before the war for Cybertron was lost, he suddenly disappeared from Iacon. I immediately presumed the Decepticons had captured him for information while he was on one of his spy missions. And when he probably refused to give it up...

Oh my Primus.

"Sunburst!" I cried out happily, but I wasn't the only one.

How did Bulkhead know Sunburst?

" _ **Windswept?**_ " I heard Sunburst gasp in disbelief.

"Hey Sunshine," I greeted him with his nickname, "You better get your aft down to this rock we're living at!"

" _ **Windswept, is that the one 'nd only?!**_ "

The third voice wasn't hard to miss either. I knew her voice quite well too. She was another one of my close friends that I meet at Iacon. Rejected from the Wreckers, she came to us looking for a second chance to get out to the battlefield. We gave her that chance and I allowed her to fight by my side whenever we could. We weren't as close as Sunburst and I are, but we were still close partners.

"Aquastrike!" Starlight cheered with glee.

Starlight and Aquastrike had that friendship that Arcee and I had, but it ran deeper than that. Their sisterly relationship was one of the closest and most respectful partnerships I had ever seen. They never belittled each other about anything and they always fought side by side everywhere they went.

" _ **Starlight! Oh Star, I've missed you so much!**_ "

"Aquastrike, oh man, it's been a long time!" Bulkhead yelled out in glee.

Starlight and I exchanged curious looks.

How did he know Sunburst AND Aquastrike?!

Bulkhead must've been thinking the same thing. His optics moved off us to the screen, "Hey Jackie, the rock we're on is crawling with cons. How soon can you get here and even the odds?"

" _ **Sometime tomorrow if I put metal to the pedal,**_ " Wheeljack answered.

"More bots are coming here! How cool is that?" Miko gushed excitedly on Bulkhead's shoulder.

"Wheeljack, Aquastrike and Sunburst," Optimus hummed. He looked like he was thinking their names over and trying to figure out who they were, "I know by reputation only. Can you three verify their voice prints?"

"Jackie's one thousand per cent the real deal, Optimus," Bulkhead nodded for Wheeljack.

"Aquastrike sounds like she hasn't changed to me," Starlight vouched for Aquastrike.

"Yeah, that's definitely Sunburst, Optimus," I spoke on behalf of Sunburst.

"We will send landing coordinates, Wheeljack. Safe journey to you and the others," Optimus bided.

"See you soon, guys! I'll make sure you get a proper welcome!"

The radio transmission was cut after Bulkhead's promise. Arcee walked up Star, Bulk and I with a look of amusement.

"So who's the boyfriends and the girlfriend?"

Bulkhead chuckled, "Me, Aqua, Sunshine and Jackie go way back. We were part of the same warrior unit: The Wreckers. Which means the 'Cons are gonna wish they had never found us!"

Weird. I knew about Aquastrike being part of the Wreckers for a time before Ultra Magnus shipped her off to Iacon. I don't know anything about Sunburst heading that way at all during the time we spent together at Iacon...

"Hold up a second." Starlight had her hands on her hips - ...dangerously close to where her knives were... - and narrowed her optics at Bulkhead, "Just how do you know Aquastrike, huh?"

"Wheeljack, Aquastrike and I worked together when we joined the Wreckers," Bulkhead explained, his voice souring slightly, "When Magnus came along in the middle of the war, he thought Aquastrike was better off at Iacon. I presume that's how you guys know her."

"Aquastrike chose to stay behind when the masses of Autobots and Decepticons began evacuating from Cybertron. We gave her the choice to join us, but she denied our request," Optimus informed.

I... guess that explains a lot.

"And Sunburst?" Starlight continued, "'Swept and I worked with him for as long as I can remember. Then he vanished suddenly and never reappeared."

"Sunburst joined the Wreckers during the later stages of the war," Optimus answered, causing the three of us to look at him, "From my known records, he was only there for a short time before Cybertron's core went dark."

Starlight and I nodded at each other in silent agreement. Optimus' and Bulkhead's words seemed accurate.

It's weird how some of our lives can instantly be connected with the snap of our digits...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The sun began to set on another ordinary day. Through the clouds, the sky began turn into beautiful colours of pinks and blues, providing the beautiful sunset that was about to begin.

Of course, that was only if the Decepticons cared about Earth's weather.

" _ **Wheeljack? What are you doing all the way out here?**_ "

" _ **Bulkhead? That you?**_ "

" _ **Dude, what's with all the security' round here?**_ "

" _ **Sunburst!**_ "

" _ **Hey Sunshine! You better get your aft down to this rock where living at!**_ "

" _ **Windswept, is that the one 'nd only?!**_ "

" _ **Aquastrike!**_ "

" _ **Starlight! I've missed you so much!**_ "

" ** _Hey Jackie, the rock we're on is crawling with cons._** "

"A war hero, huh?" Slipstream smirked, looking over at her twin while the conversation between the Autobots continued.

"We haven't much time," Starscream immediately decided, "Makeshift!"

The Decepticon appeared on the bridge at his master's call, his spiky frame immediately standing before his Decepticon leaders and their second-in-commands. Soundwave struck out his clawed cable from his chest towards the Decepticon when the latter was close enough. Within moments, the Decepticon began changing into one of the three Autobot forms Soundwave had been scanning during the conversation replay. When that was complete, he began switching to another Autobot form, the same process carried out again when he switched to another Autobot.

"Well Rebecca, guess its' your lucky day," Slipstream decided, facing the floating human Decepticon, "You get the pick of the litter."

" _ **See you soon, guys! I will make sure you get a proper welcome!**_ "

Rebecca grinned slyly in response, clasping her hands together at the choice she now had to make, "The Autobot Bulkhead may know how to give a proper welcome, but so do the Decepticons."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The sun was starting to rise on what was going to be a really good day. I couldn't contain my excitement! Two of my closest friends were coming! I was nearly shedding tears from the fact that were alive and okay and that they were coming home!

... Nearly...

Carly's picked up my excited mood and has obviously been affected by it, asking questions about my two friends excitedly.

"So what's Sunburst and Aquastrike like?"

I laughed in amusement. I had plenty and plenty of stories to tell her about my friends, and more. We were pretty close to base and it was nearing the time as to when Wheeljack's ship would land so story time was gonna have to wait. Since the ship was arriving pretty early, Optimus had us pick up the children at an earlier time. Poor Carly and Raf got an earful from their parents about leaving so early on a Sunday morning.

"Sunburst is the kind of Autobot that follows the rules. He's very strict on following them when he's around 'bots like Optimus Prime and Ratchet. But when he's with his friends, he really lets loose. He's so much fun to be around!" I explained excitedly about the Autobot that I considered a brother.

To be honest, I was more excited about his return more than Aquastrike's return. I still love her to pieces; I guess it's because I had more of a closer bond to Sunburst than I did with her.

"Aquastrike is literally a feminine version of Bulkhead. Without the girly squealing, of course, but I'm not kidding. She's rough, she's tough. You mess with her, chances are you're probably going to get a fist to the face," I explained as the doors to the base opened.

Carly laughed, "Miko's gonna love her then!"

I chuckled at her comment and was going to respond when when we drove into the main room. My brown-haired friend whipped off her helmet and jumped off my vehicle form to greet the excited Miko. I transformed and looked up at the monitors excitedly, seeing the ship nearing the landing zone.

"Wheeljack's ship is approaching the landing zone," Arcee announced.

The blue Autobot signal on the monitor was beeping as it continued making its' way to the co-ordinates we provided

"You think he and the others are here to visit?" Raf asked, looking up at the older humans.

"Maybe they'll stay!" Carly piped in, her eyes sparkling with excitement as they locked with Jacks. I smirked when I noticed that Jack's face lightened up at her happy expression.

I replayed the sentence my charge had said in my mind. I didn't know Wheeljack so I can't comment on behalf of him, but I sincerely hoped that Sunburst and Aquastrike would join the team. Not just for mine, Starlight's and Bulkhead's benefits, but for the team's. More firepower! More chance to end the war! More chance of finally getting my revenge on Slipstream!

...Hmmm, that sentence hasn't appeared in my mind for a little while.

Miko hummed beside Carly, "Have to find their own humans though."

"I don't think Ratchet would approve," Starlight mumbled beside me.

I only nodded in agreement - Ratchet apparently wasn't fused with the ones we already had...

"Groundbridge cycling up." Orange sparks appeared from the controls, causing most of us to jump at the sudden action. Ratchet frustratingly sighed and slammed down on the controls, "Blasted Scraplets! The equipment hasn't been the same since the infestation!"

He wasn't wrong - every time we used the Groundbridge, it would start sparking before failing to cycle up. And that wasn't the only issue we've had - some of the monitors have also been flickering on and off as well as the electricity all round. It's been difficult to try fixing the issues, but we haven't really had the time.

"So…Wheeljack and his gang are gonna land halfway around the world and then you'll bridge them here?" Jack asked with a confusing tone.

"We can't risk revealing the location of our base just in case the Decepticons are tracking Wheeljack's ship," Optimus explained.

While Optimus finished his sentence, Miko quickly ran off at the sight of Bulkhead pacing excitedly behind an annoyed Ratchet and near Starlight and I, Carly beaming behind her.

"Dude! I've never seen you so stoked!"

"And I've never seen you two so excited, let alone 'Swept!" Carly noticed beside her friend.

I was bouncing up and down on my feet in excitement while Starlight grinned from audio receptor to audio receptor. Careful Star, the wind might blow and your faceplates might stay that way forever.

... Or was that when you had a frown on your face?

"You're gonna love Wheeljack! We were like brothers!" Bulkhead explained with a grin.

"Aquastrike and I were like sisters! I'm so excited to finally sit down and relive some of our past fun!" Starlight grinned, dancing and spinning around.

"And Sunburst and I were those kind of siblings that tease each other about everything!" I smiled, raising my eyebrows in suggestion.

"Tonight, we are gonna party!" Bulkhead announced, pumping his fist in the air.

"HECK YEAH!" Starlight and I cheered, sharing high-fives with him.

"SWEET!" Miko and Carly also cheered, high-fiving each other.

Arcee and Bumblebee grinned at the excitement we were all sharing before the alarms began going off. We looked at the screens to see what was going on. Five red signals were rapidly closing in on the lone blue one.

"Bogies! Closing fast on Wheeljacks position!" Arcee announced.

"Con scum!" Bulkhead cursed, walking up to the screens.

Starlight and I exchanged a knowing look. Those Decepticons are gonna wish they never came after Sunburst and Aquastrike once they were finished with them...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Deep within the Egyptian desert, pink and yellow colours were blending into the blue sky, signalling the suns rising for the day. Clouds floated by without a problem, providing shelter for the hot sand below. It was peaceful.

But not for long.

A Cybertronian spaceship appeared; the silvery-grey ship with small splashes of red was trying to escape the Decepticon drones shooting behind it. The ship moved left and right to avoid being hit by the enemy, still targeting the landing coordinates provided by Optimus Prime. The ship dodged most of the firepower raining down except for one blaster shot. It caught its' back left corner, grey smoke and orange flames immediately pouring out from the hit. Now out of control, the ship instantly pointed downwards and crash landed into the Sahara Desert sand.

The Decepticon jets wasted no time in following the skid marks the ship left behind, transforming into their Cybertronian forms. The first one in line activated his weapons, proceeding to stalk up to the damaged ship. His bravery was immediately unrewarded, being shot back to his team behind him from an Autobot blaster shot. The Vehicons immediately activated their weapons as three Autobots appeared before them.

The first Cybertronian that appeared was mostly white with green and red splashed on him. He was not as bulky as his friend Bulkhead, but he was also quite tall, probably the height of his friend. He had a red Autobot logo on his chassis, confirming his Autobot status. His blaster was activated on his right servo and was smoking lightly, indicating he was the one who fired that first shot that sent the Decepticon drone flying back to his team. He was Wheeljack.

The Autobot to his left stood proudly with her triple barrel blasters on both servos She was a few inches shorter than Wheeljack and had a chain wrapped around her neck, a topaz-blue butterbot ( **AN: Cybertronian butterfly** ) sitting just where her collarbones met. She was aqua blue in colour except for one black stripe stretching down to the middle of helm above her nose-plate and reached down to the join of her wings on her back. Her frame was as bulky as Wheeljack's and had black Autobot logos on her wings. She had five head spikes that formed an arch over the top half of her helm. Her deep blue eyes searched each of the Vehicons before her, ready to fight. She was Aquastrike.

The Autobot to her left stood with a goofy grin on his face, holding each of his battle axes that he pull out from his hilt on his back at each side. His frame was a dark yellow with a single white strip going up each arm on the outside, reaching near the Autobot logos on his wrists to the curve of his shoulders. He had a thick build similar to Wheeljack and at full height would reach Wheeljack's helm. His sky blue optics grinned at the sight of the Decepticons; it had been a long time since he battled his enemies. He was Sunburst.

"If you're trying to ruin our day, you're gonna have to try harder," Wheeljack challenged, a mouth guard sliding over his face. Sunburst twirled his battle axes in his hands and Aquastrike twisted her helm from side to side.

The battle was on.

The two Vehicons ahead of the pack fired first to their enemies. The three Autobots split apart; Wheeljack ran one way, Sunburst another and Aquastrike leaped into the air, all trying to dodge the blaster fire. The Vehicon closest to Aquastrike watched her fire multiple shots at him, using his helm as a landing zone as her foot crushed him. Behind her, Wheeljack and Sunburst leaped up, the former body slamming one of the Vehicons while Sunburst swung one of his axes at another, slicing the front of him. The spikes dug into the Decepticon, allowing Wheeljack to throw the drone he body-slammed on into him, throwing them both away.

More drones start flying their way, causing Aquastrike to fire multiple shots towards them, her triple blasters allowing her to use extra fire power. Wheeljack elbowed a Vehicon on the ground before leaping away to another, forward flipping over him. Sunburst used this as a distraction, knocking the drone away with use of his leg.

Wheeljack landed back on the ground, pulling an arm off the Vehicon he landed behind and kicking him away before slapping another twice in the face. He punched him, sending him backwards and landing in front of one lone Vehicon who had yet to be hit, let alone touched, by the Autobots. He looked at the trio of Autobots before him in fright.

"You 'Cons have grown soft on us," Wheeljack tormented, pulling out his swords from behind him. He looked at the two Autobots behind him, "This one's all mine."

The two Autobots nodded before they felt more blaster fire raining down on them. They looked up and quickly began shooting at the jets above them. While Wheeljack began his charge towards the lone drone on the ground, dodging his firepower easily. He was able to reach him and quickly began his attack.

* * *

Wheeljack instantly began swiping his swords at the drone, who jumped away from the sharp ends of the swords. The video feed pulled back, showing Aquastrike and Sunburst fighting the other drones with their blasters.

Slipstream watched with interest at the trio of Autobots that had just arrived onto the human-infested planet. Each of them were strong and weren't afraid to fight. But she couldn't help shrug at the interesting way their histories all managed to intertwine with one another.

Starscream decided enough was enough. If they didn't act now, they wouldn't be able to extract their plan when the rest of the Autobots would probably turn up to help the newcomers. He looked over his shoulder at Soundwave, "Swiftly! Before the Autobots arrive."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Bulkhead, Starlight and I stood in front of the Groundbridge tunnel. We were more than eager for it to come to life so we could go greet our newly-arrived friends.

Bulkhead turned around to face Ratchet, "Open the bridge, Ratchet! We're missing all the action!"

The sound of the Groundbridge switch being pulled down had me bouncing up and down on my feet again. The portal swirled to life in front us.

"I'll prepare sick bay!"

I laughed, along with Star and Bulk. Seriously Ratch?! Star and I definitely remember how Aquastrike and Sunburst fight - with precision, strategy and craziness!

"Who for? The 'Cons?! This is Wheeljack, Aquastrike and Sunburst we're talking about!" With that said, Bulkhead raced in the Groundbridge.

I shared an excited look with Starlight, who mirrored my facial expressions, and followed my teammate in the portal. This is it!

I leaped out onto this sandy terrain I believe was called the desert. Bulkhead had his blaster activated so I followed suit and brought out my twin blasters. I saw Starlight leap out onto the other of Bulk, probably with a knife in servo.

Offline Vehicon frames were strewn across the ground. I looked up from them to see a white, green and red Autobot stab a drone with one of his swords, sliding the weapon out from him quickly and letting the Vehicon fall on the ground offline.

"I taught him that," Bulkhead chuckled as we began deactivating our weapons.

A yellow Autobot pulled another 'Con off one of his well-worn battle axes, chucking the destroyed form away. And nearby him was an aqua blue femme swinging her leg around to kick her opponent onto the sand face first.

I smirked. That's our Sunburst and Aquastrike.

The red, green and white Autobot I presumed was Wheeljack began walking towards us with Aquastrike and Sunburst at his sides.

"Ever think I might need a hand here?" Wheeljack asked, putting away his weapons.

"What? And spoil the show?" Bulkhead scoffed.

"You missed one," Starlight warned with a smirk, putting a hand on her hip.

Sure enough, a Decepticon drone rose to his knees, his blaster ready to shoot... well he would've shot had Aquastrike not walked close by and simply slapped him back down with a backservo punch.

"Don' think so," She eyed up Starlight like she was trying to figure out how to greet her.

I was having those same urges with Sunburst. Seeing him standing at a distance ahead of me... he doesn't look like he's changed at all! He's still yellow, bulked-up, yellow, those sky blue optics looking at me with that familiar sibling fondness...

Did I say he still looked yellow?

"If this is all you got, then this planet is in bigger trouble then I thought," Wheeljack teased lightly.

Bulkhead, Starlight and I exchanged a knowing look. Then we raced towards them as quickly as we could, our excitement to see them becoming to much for all three of us to handle.

As soon as I got close enough to Sunburst, I leaped into his waiting arms, wrapping my own tightly around his neck as he spun me around.

I missed my brother so much. To have him here with us right now... I don't want this moment to end. We didn't say anything to each other... there was no need to. What we wanted to say, we would say back at base. But right now... now was just perfect.

"Watch the finish, you old wrecking ball!"

"Aqua, you're choking me!"

I laughed in both amusement and in happiness, hearing Wheeljack and Starlight laughing and barely spitting out their sentences as they were hugged by Bulkhead and Aquastrike. Hearing all this happiness gave me a little bit of hope. We could beat this war - as a team and as a family.

"I've missed you." My voice cracked with emotion as I whispered three words I've been meaning to say for ages.

"Missed you too, Windswept."

Sunburst only called me by my full name on certain occasions... Maybe this was one of them... maybe it's just because we haven't seen each other in years and he just wanted to make sure it was me...

Hearing him say my full name though... it felt weird...

* * *

When the Groundbridge appeared, we had to pull away from our reunions and return back to our base for Optimus to debrief the newbies. We all returned just in time. As Ratchet went to close the 'Bridge, orange sparks began spitting out and blue electricity cackled from the controls. The portal disappeared immediately, electricity cackling suddenly that had most of us leaping in fright. Ratchet only groaned as he looked over at us to make sure we had all made it through.

I glanced at Bulkhead greeting Sunburst with a hand shake - Although they worked together in the same team near the end of the war, I don't think it wasn't enough for Bulk to hug him like he had with Wheeljack. Starlight greeted Sunburst with a smile.

I turned my attentions to Aquastrike and held out my servo for her to shake. But she just looked down at me and smirked, her arms waving out like she was going to scoop me into one of her hugs.

Ohhhhh no...

"Oh... oh no Aqua!" I laughed nervously, backing away.

I couldn't run away in time to escape the bear-crushing hug she began giving me, spinning me around and whooping with glee. "Good to see ya again, Windy!"

I rolled my optics amusingly at the nickname for me. Aquastrike always had some sort of name to give us. Twinkle was Starlight's because of her talent when it came to her knives, Sourshine was Sunburst's because he was a 'spoilsport' in her terms. Mine just happened to be a shortened version of my name.

Aqua sat me back down on my feet, waving at everyone around in the room, "Hiya!" She spotted the humans and, I think her curiosity of them got the better of her, because she shoved her face _literally_ into theirs...

Carly hid behind Jack, her hands lightly on his shoulders as they greeted Aquastrike with small nervous waves. Starlight and I shared a laugh.

"What are these?!"

Good ol' Aquastrike and her curiosity of literally everything. She hasn't changed.

"They're humans, the main species which live on this planet," Starlight replied

"Ahhhhh," She hummed, "Helloooooooo humans!"

"Aqua, they can understand you," Starlight laughed.

"Oh!" Aquastrike gasped in realisation, jumping back and rubbing the back of her neck, "Sorry! Didn' know."

"Don't worry about it," Carly shrugged off her initial fears of my... assertive friend.

"Hey, Jackie! Come here! Meet my other best buddy, Miko! She can wreck with the best of us."

Miko waved at the newly-arrived Autobot, "Hiya!"

Wheeljack walked up to the girl as close as he could. I could see Bulkhead watching with a nervous look and I couldn't help but bite my lip. I hope 'Jackie' got along with Miko almost as well as Aquastrike did with the others...

"You keeping Bulkhead out of trouble?"

"I try, but trouble finds us anyway."

Wheeljack grinned at her response and looked at Bulkhead approvingly, "We're gonna get along just fine."

I glanced between Carly at the top of the stairs and Sunburst opposite her. I bit my lip and settled my optics on my brother figure, "Sunburst, this is Carly. She's... an important friend to me."

Sunshine bent down a little to my human friend's height with a straight face so I couldn't tell what he was thinking, "Keeping Windswept sane, I hope?"

Carly slowly nodded with a smile forming, "Sane? Windswept's saner than anyone else in this place!"

A smirk appeared on my brother figure, "I highly doubt that, but if you're an important friend of my little sister here, then you're important enough for me to believe you."

I sported a mixture of confused and annoyed on my faceplates. Since when have I ever been _in_ sane?

...Actually, never mind. I don't want an answer to that...

Optimus walked up to the group from behind, probably wanting to greet our, hopefully, new recruits. Wheeljack, Aquastrike and Sunburst turned around to greet our leader when they noticed him approaching.

"Optimus Prime," Wheeljack greeted.

"The big guy himself," Sunburst gasped, a little bit starstruck.

Aww Sunshine.

"It's a privilege, sir!" Aquastrike immediately saluted to him.

"Likewise soldiers," Optimus responded with a glance at the trio, "What have you to report from your long journey?"

"Been bouncing from rock to rock searching for signs of friends or foe," Wheeljack reported, looking over his shoulder at Bulkhead.

"And now we find both!" Aquastrike beamed, patting me and Starlight on her backs. We were immediately flung forward at the contact. Our small frames have always been unable to handle Aquastrike's... brute strength...

"We are few but strong. We have suffered losses. But we have grown." Our leader looked over at Jack and Raf, indicating how exactly we have grown over the last few weeks, "And we would relish welcoming three new members into our fold."

Optimus Prime, is that a small smile appearing on your faceplates?

"We would be honoured," Wheeljack smiled back, looking between Aquastrike and Sunburst.

"Then let's get this party started!" Bulkhead immediately declared, slapping Wheeljack on the back. The pair turned to each other and chest-bumped with a warrior cry.

"Oh joy," Ratchet moaned quietly at the Groundbridge controls.

Yeah, your sour mood is not gonna dampen the party that's about to begin, Ratch!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"The moment Makeshift passed through their Groundbridge, we lost his tracking signal."

The Decepticons' plan to swap out one of the Autobots with their secret Decepticon shifter Makeshift had been a success. Although it was difficult given that they had to manage to swap in Makeshift without arising any suspicion from their Autobot friends, their Decepticons drones had performed admirably for once, sending their Autobot prisoner to the Warship immediately.

So while Starscream spoke, he, Slipstream and Soundwave were making their way down to corridor to greet their Autobot prisoner. And to see whatever information they held within them they could get out.

"The Autobot base is no doubt heavily shielded to prevent us from locating it..."

"Do not stress yourself over this mission, Starscream," Slipstream advised as they reached the end of the corridor where the holding cell was, "I have complete faith in my loyal friend." Greeting the Vehicons guarding the door, who straightened up at the sight of their Decepticon leaders and their second in command, they opened the door to the dark room, "Besides, our 'inside' man is already inside."

Being held up by purple cackling bonds, the captured Autobot began looking up at the sound of the doors closing behind the trio of Decepticons that entered.

"Ahhh Sunburst," Slipstream greeted with an evil smile, "It's been years since we last saw of each other. I hope you've been well."

"Tell Megatron he's fragged in the head if he thinks Bulkhead and Windswept won't sniff out your 'loyal' friend."

Immediately Starscream picked up on two things. The first thing was that Sunburst and Slipstream were well aware of each other. He heard of the amount of Autobots his sister had murdered over the few times she managed to slip into Iacon and bomb the site. By the sounds of it, their tones suggested that she had hurt, or possibly killed, someone that Sunburst was close with. The second thing he picked up on was the fact Sunburst still believed that Megatron was still leading the Decepticons.

Somebody was going to have to give him the news. It may as well been him, "Haven't you heard? Slipstream and I lead the Decepticons now."

"You, Starscream?" Sunburst scoffed in disbelief, "I can imagine Slipstream. But you!"

Starscream growled in frustration. Just about everyone had their full faith and confidence in Slipstream. But the second his name was also mentioned as being co-leader, everyone laughs in his face! He went to retaliate, readying his claw to strike the Autobot. But his twin sibling got a hold of his wrist before he had the chance.

"Makeshift is very good at keeping up appearances, Sunburst. He only needs to fool your friends long enough to open their Groundbridge from within so that we may finally storm the Autobot base and kill every Autobot in sight."

On the top deck of the Decepticon warship was an army of Decepticon troopers, waiting for their next move...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"Come on, Jackie. Show me what you got!"

The party was instantly in full swing. With Miko providing her rack- I mean, music from her guitar, everyone was already off doing their own thing. Aquastrike and Starlight were immediately catching up on the journey's each of them had been through, Raf and Bumblebee were watching Miko play her guitar, watching her get into her music while Arcee, Jack, Carly and I just watched the boys get reacquainted.

And by reacquainted, I mean throwing a giant metal ball between the three of them.

"Nice lob," Bulkhead complimented Wheeljack when the ball was thrown to him. He looked over at Sunburst, lobbing the ball over to him.

"So what's this about?" Carly asked from her position at the edge of the ledge beside Jack.

"It's called lobbing," I answered as we watched the ball get passed to Wheeljack and then back to Bulkhead.

"A favourite pass-time on Cybertron. Especially among the warrior class," Arcee explained.

Lobbing was a favourite past time that was shared between Sunburst, Aquastrike and many others of Iacon. They used to lob around a round metal ball similar to the one the boys were throwing around back forth all the time. Starlight and I would normally watch them lob it around and make smart-aft comments towards them. It would start up quite the stir...

... Those were the days...

"Come on, Raf!" I looked down at Miko still playing her guitar, looking at the boy excitedly, "Show us some moves!"

"Oh, alright." Adjusting his glasses, Raf stood up and instantly started dancing.

Jack broke out in laughter, "Of course!"

"The Robot!" Carly cheered, pumping a fist in the air, "Go Raf!"

Bumblebee whirred as he watched his human friend dance, eventually joining in and copying his moves. I could hear Ratchet moan in disbelief while he still worked at the 'Bridge controls... I bet you could never dance like Raf and Bumblebee, Ratch...

"Where's Optimus?" Jack asked behind me.

"Didn't he say something about a drive?" Carly questioned with hum, looking at Jack.

Arcee and I exchanged a nod, speaking softly to the humans between us, "Primes don't party." Nothing more needed to be said on that topic - Jack and Carly got enough of a hint.

"Coming at ya!" Bulkhead yelled, lobbing the ball over to Sunburst near the entry tunnel.

Sunshine tried to desperately to catch it, but Bulk had thrown it too high. We watched the ball smash into the wall above before falling down near the Groundbridge controls just as Ratchet ducked out of the way.

Uh-oh.

"You know, I am attempting to perform sensitive calibrations here!"

"Sorry, Doc. Guess we're a little charged up," Wheeljack apologised with a simple shrug.

"You built this bridge from scratch, huh Ratch?" Sunburst asked, walking past the medic with the lobbing ball in hand.

"I did."

"That's quite a feat of engineering."

Ratchet looked up, a small wave of confusion crashing over his face before joy took over, "Yes, Sunburst. It is." He was probably happy about getting some appreciation for the work that he does around here.

Don't we appreciate him enough?

I glanced at Bulkhead and Wheeljack shrugging at each other at the conversation. I zoomed my optics in, watching Sunburst narrow his optics at Ratchet behind him.

"Something wrong with it?"

"I didn't care for the way it sounded this last jump. I put it in shutdown."

"What if you need to use it?"

"Oooh, I can't interrupt the defrag process without causing irreparable damage."

Sunburst took a few steps, "So, uh, how long will the defrag take?"

"A few hours if we're lucky," Ratchet answered, looking at Sunburst, "Maybe longer." With a shrug, the medic looked back at the controls to resume his work.

While the boys went back to lobbing the ball around again, I narrowed my optics at Sunburst again. He and Ratchet had known each other for a decent amount of time - Ratchet popped into the medical hospital for the wounded near Iacon on occasion when a seriously injured had arrived. They discussed a few things over the time of the war, but they had never discussed anything like engineering before. In fact, I'm pretty sure Sunburst knows nothing about engineering.

Hmmm, something's not right.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

While the full moon shone brightly behind the Decepticon Warship, inside was a different story. Its' dark and dull walls compared well with the frustrated Starscream, who was looking at the monitor. He was waiting for Makeshift to make contact.

"Makeshift still hasn't opened their Groundbridge! Or otherwise transmitted their coordinates!"

"His disguise may have been flawless. But it won't fool the Autobots forever," Slipstream agreed, "However, he may be just taking his time to set into the base to gain the Autobot's trust. Fear not Starscream, Makeshift will be doing whatever he can to not raise suspicion at the Autobot base."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"So there we were. No communications. Low on 'nergon. Surrounded by 'Cons. So what does Wheeljack go 'nd do?"

So eventually, the boys gave up on lobbing that metal ball around after nearly throwing it into Ratchet's Groundbridge controls a few more times after the initial hit. They decided to share some old Wrecker stories with Aquastrike, who was quite disappointed at first when the boys jumped straight into a few stories after she had left them. But when they began discussing one of the earlier, Aquastrike was eager to tell her side.

Bumblebee stood beside Arcee and I while Wheeljack leaned on the opposite side of him with Sunburst. Starlight sat cross-legged on the ground in front of 'Bee as our reunited friend and Bulkhead stood ahead of all of us to tell the story.

Aquastrike began to crack up with laughter and looked at Wheeljack, "Tell 'im, bro!"

"What I d-"

"What Jackie does best of course!" Sunburst suddenly crowed, slapping his friend on the shoulder. He must have zoned out for some reason...

Bulkhead and Wheeljack exchanged a strange look at their old friend before the former continued with a laugh, "Jackie chucked his only grenade smack into the main heat exchanger!"

"Yeah. Seemed like a good idea at the time," Wheeljack shrugged with a 'that's-what-I-do-best' tone.

"The joint went supernova!" Aquastrike gushed, throwing her bulky arms up.

"Awesome!" Miko cheered in delight. She was with Raf, Carly and Jack on a crate nearby.

"Yeah. I'm still picking shrapnel out of my backside," Bulkhead grumbled, scratching his backside.

"I'm not surprised. Given the size of your backside," Arcee smirked teasingly.

Ouch.

" **You want some ice with that burn, Bulk?** " Bumblebee buzzed with a laugh.

"There it is. Jackie's signature. One grenade; one shot."

Sunburst had quickly zoned out again. I think he was starring at the Groundbridge controls again. His optics have been locked on that thing since his conversation with Ratchet. I pressed myself off the wall and stood in front of my brother figure now that Aquastrike and Bulkhead's story over - I didn't want to be rude.

"Sunshine, are you alright?" I asked, waving my servo in front of his face.

Sunburst blinked and glanced down at me, "What?"

"You weren't this quiet on the ride here," Wheeljack told him, "Is something up?"

So it wasn't just me who had noticed his sudden change.

"You don't seem like yourself," I added softly.

"What do you mean?" Sunburst asked, standing to full height and taking a step forward towards me.

I took a few steps back at his sudden movement... That was weird...

"You seem…distant," Bulkhead answered carefully.

Sunburst looked away from all of us with a sigh. I could tell from the look on his face that he was becoming aware that he hadn't been getting into the party as much as everyone else lifted his helm towards Bulkhead, "I've been stuck under a roof for too long, I guess. I should go topside before I go stir-crazy."

"I have patrol later on tomorrow morning, You can come with!" I offered, trying to get him to brighten up a little.

"Let's go now!" Sunburst decided, grabbing me by the wrist and dragging me over near the tunnel.

Red flashed in my mind, kind of like a warning light. Something was wrong, The grip on my wrist was too tight. The feeling of suffocation hit me. I dug my heels into the tiled floor to stop Sunburst from dragging me further.

"You wanna break up the party now?" Aquastrike asked in disbelief.

I slipped my hand out of his loosening grip and looked up at him, "Come on, Sunburst. We still have many stories to tell!"

"How about you tell them? You guys clearly love telling stories more than I do," Sunburst insisted, looking down at the humans, "How about Miko and Carly here show me around the base?"

'Don't let them go with him,' My helm began whispering to me. 'Something's wrong. He's not right in the helm...'

"Well, yeah, sure, Sunshine," Bulkhead nodded at the request of permission, looking at me.

...Maybe Sunburst just needs a walk to clear his helm. Maybe all this is too much for him. Maybe the girls can help talk his way out of this slump he's in... Yeah that's it...

"Go ahead," I finally answered.

With an excited look, Miko and Carly quickly leaped off the cube holder, directing the yellow Autobot towards the Groundbridge tunnel

"Tour starts now! Do you play any instruments? Can you fly? Have you thrashed more Decepticons then Bulkhead?" The further the trio disappeared into the corridor, the quicker Miko voice faded away.

"You guys alright?" Arcee asked with concern.

"Yeah..." Bulkhead slowly began, "Just out of sorts, I guess."

"What about you?" Starlight asked, bumping my shoulder with her own.

I blinked, slowly turning to face her. I faked a smile and nodded, "Yeah I'm fine."

"Don't tell me you're jealous," Arcee lightly teased us.

I shrugged, "What's there to be jealous about? So what if Carly's making a new friend? Big deal!"

"Something... Something's just not right about Sunburst," Bulkhead finally said the sentence that I was waiting to hear all night.

"You see it too, huh?" I asked him.

"Guys? Really? He's travelled galaxies. You both haven't seen him for centuries," Arcee argued, walking up beside us, "He could just be rocket lagged or…bots do change, you know?"

"Oh no, not Sunburst," I instantly retorted back, the tone in my voice turning dark and stubborn.

Sunburst **doesn't** change. No matter what he's been through, not once has something horrible changed his outlook on things. And trust me, he's been through a lot.

"He wasn't like this on the ship." I instantly glanced at Wheeljack when he spoke. He shrugged at the attention, "He was more of a smart-aft then he was distant."

I looked down the tunnel he had just left in with the human girls, "Then something is definitely wrong."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

He had to get out. He had to break free of the bonds. He to get to the Autobot base to save his friends, as well as the ones he was supposed to meet, from the Decepticon shifter who had taken his place.

He had to! Now!

It was no use, his fighting did nothing but grab the attention of the Vehicon guarding him. The Decepticon turned around and walked up to his Autobot prisoner, pressing his activated blaster against his face.

"You're not going anywhere, Autobot."

Hang on. Maybe he could make this work in his favour.

Sunburst took his chance, wrapping his legs around the drone's neck. This caused the Decepticon to start shooting rapidly in all sorts of directions in a panic.

"Do you drones _ever_ shut up?" Sunburst grumbled, guiding the Decepticon into the perfect angle to make him shoot at the control panel holding him in his bonds.

Within moments, the real Autobot known as Sunburst had the drone shooting at panel, deactivating his bonds. He dropped to his feet, the dead drone collapsing on the floor nearby, and began his escape from the Decepticon warship.

* * *

"So, I guess that's it. Energon stock pile, power-board generator, armoury."

"Everything you need to blow the joint sky sky high."

Miko and Carly were close to ending the tour of Autobot Outpost Omega One, the home of the Autonomous Robotic Organisms. Sunburst walked behind them, pausing as he looked around. The tour still didn't answer many of his questions. Now was as good time as any to ask them.

"Where's this bunker located exactly?"

"If I told ya, I'd have to rip out your spark chamber," Miko answered dangerously, turning around to face the Cybertronian.

The Cybertronian closed his mouth, unamused and a little bit threatened by the girl's tone.

Carly laughed nervously, looking over her shoulder, "Ignore her. We're outside of Jasper, Nevada. Though, I don't think that'll mean much to you."

"It doesn't, really," Sunburst hummed, hesitation evident in his answer, "So uh, any way out of here besides bridging?"

"Why?" The Cybertronian paused in his step when he realised the humans had paused in their walk, looking up at him with curious and sad eyes.

"You're not planning to leave already, are you?" Miko asked. Then a grin returned to her face, walking back the way they came from, "Come on. I'll show ya."

As Sunburst turned around and followed Miko, Carly couldn't help but notice how strange the Cybertronian was becoming. First he wanted to know all about the Groundbridge from Ratchet, then he was zoning out when the storytelling began, and now he's asking about the location of their base and if there was another way out of the silo.

Something was odd about him. And deep down, she very well knew that she wasn't the only one noticing it.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Wheeljack and Aquastrike continued talking about how Sunburst was his strict self back on the ship and how he always had a smart comment to make to and about Aquastrike.

"Almost there." I heard Ratchet mutter about the Groundbridge controls.

Wheeljack, Aquastrike, Bulkhead and Starlight were talking about my brother figure like they knew him forever. What do **they** know about Sunshine? Sure he maybe strict and has a smart-aft mouth on occasion. But they don't know how his walls break down when he's with me - he could tell me every little thing he had never said to anyone, not even with those he considered family. His strict self covers up the witty and lovable side of him - he hides who he truly is so the Decepticons can't dig into him to find his weakness.

There was one time where that happened... and it basically changed our lives at Iacon.

"Guys, listen. I know Sunburst better than all of you combined. I practically grew up with him. I'm know how he behaves and that behaviour does not show who he really is!"

"Windswept, you need to calm down." Servos gripped my arms, pausing my sudden outburst. Starlight was looking at me with worry, "You haven't seen Sunburst since Iacon. You even thought he died when he left! Maybe the things he saw with the Wreckers changed the way he acted around us."

Starlight could be the voice of reason at times, but this was one time that I knew she couldn't be. Sunburst has never changed. Nothing has ever affected him before.

"Hey." We all turned around, seeing Sunburst reappear from one of the corridors with Miko and Carly jogging in front of him. He paused when he saw Starlight's servos around my arms, "What's going on?"

A sudden memory came over my processor... Primus... I know how to tell if this was the same Sunburst or not...

"I was just about to tell these guys about Raindrop's death."

Raindrop was an Autobot scientist that worked closely with Alpha Trion. He, Sunburst and one other, were the first to welcome me into Iacon with open arms. I was only starting my reach into adulthood when I had arrived. He and Sunburst were brothers in arms. But the longer I stayed at Iacon, the closer me and Raindrop quickly got.

During a suicidal battle, I suffered a shot to the back. Raindrop had just run out to help me when he was shot and murdered by a missile shot at him from the Decepticon I was fighting. The missile had gone straight through him and he off-lined in my arms. Even if we could get him back to the medics, they wouldn't have been able to save him. His death was a major blow to the Iacon team - we were all distraught by his passing... I don't think we all ever recovered...

Sunburst later decided to take some personal time off the field. Only days later, he disappeared, making us think that had gone to get revenge only to join Raindrop in the AllSpark...

"That's... uh, that's a heck of a story."

"Yeah, it is," I whispered, my voice close to cracking, "Tell it."

"Talk, talk, talk! How about AFTER we go off-roading?" Miko suggested like she wanted to change the mood.

"Miko, stay out of this!" Bulkhead warned.

"'Swept?" I looked behind me. Aquastrike was frozen in place with Starlight rubbing her arm. The aqua blue femme looked at me with pleading optics, "Don' make 'im tell it."

When Aquastrike was first sent to Iacon, one of the first friends she made was Raindrop. The two became close over time and she ended up with deep feelings for him. Who knew huh? A brief Wrecker and an Autobot scientist isn't really your normal pairing, but hey, we all wanted them together. It was a shame he didn't feel the same way. When Aquastrike heard of his death, she went into shock for a while, but she eventually came back and wanted to fight on his behalf.

"I'm not sure I-"

I snapped around towards him. "You were there, Sunburst!" I took a threatening step towards him, "Tell it!"

Sunburst reacted nearly violently, copying me and taking a threatening step towards him, "Fine! If you want me to recount my friends death, then I will!" He looked around at us, "A team of Decepticons lead by Slipstream started attacking Iacon. Alpha Trion sent Aquastrike, Raindrop, Windswept and I out to fight them. One of those 'Cons got lucky and got a shot at Raindrop when he ran to help Windswept after Slipstream shot her. The 'Con get a clean shot straight through him and he died in her arms. Thanks to Whirlwind arriving on the scene, we all managed get out of there without any more deaths." He rubbed his face with one servo, trying to get rid of all the emotion in his face.

I allowed a tear to slip down my cheek while the base went quite. A wave of emotions were crashing over me - that was a lot harder than I thought. Hearing his death again, it made my body nearly shake as the death replayed in my mind. Oh gosh... maybe this really is Sunburst. My brother figure... Maybe he was chang-

"Oh Whirlwind." Sunburst reached his servo reached the rock formation wall. "Primus, I miss her so much." Then he looked at me, "You happy now?! Is that what you wanted to hear? Isn't that how it all happened, Windswept?"

'Thanks to Whirlwind..." Why did that sound so wrong to he-

Wait a minute...

...Wait a fragged minute...

"Yeah that's how it happened, alright..." Sunburst let out a sigh mixed with relief and emotion. I narrowed my optics on him, "Except for one crucial thing."

Sunburst's mouth was agape at my suggestion.

"Whirlwind wasn't there."

Ratchet gasped behind us, muttering something as I heard him stop his work on the Groundbridge controls. The humans exchanged shocked looks while everyone around us stayed silent.

I looked at Aquastrike and Starlight behind, the latter looking like she was trying to restrain the former with one servo on her arm. Both of them looked angry... just like I was.

"When that Decepticon killed Raindrop, Aquastrike responded in a violent rage, remember? She nearly killed Slipstream! But we held her back and we retreated as fast as we could. Remember that?" I asked him with a deadly tone. When he froze up, I continued, "When Whirlwind and I escaped the Decepticons when we were younglings, we split up to cover more ground. We never met up again. While I ended up Iacon with you the first to greet me, I never got to see Whirlwind again." I took a threatening step towards the Cybertronian, "So tell me, 'Con, who are you, and how do you know of my sister?"

Got ya, you Decepticon bastard.

"Wait, 'Swept, does that me-"

Sunburst slammed me out of the way and into the rock wall. When I heard a lot of screaming and panicked movements. I looked up at the Decepticon in Autobot armour in front of the Groundbridge. He was holding something in his ser-

"CARLY!" I screamed in realisation.

"Stay back!" The Decepticon warned, holding my friend tightly in his grasp, "Or I'll squeeze her into pulp!"

We stood in a defensive position, unable to do anything that could involve my charge quickly being squeezed to death in the Decepticon's hand. Ratchet went to take one step towards the Groundbridge, but 'Sunburst' took a threatening step towards him.

I wasn't the only one freaking out more than everyone else. Jack, Miko and Raf were terrified of the fact that any second, Carly could die before them and they weren't able to stop him.

My Energon curled with rage.

I had to save my friend.

"Sunburst! What are you doing?" Miko demanded

"That ain't Sunburst, Miko!" Aquastrike yelled.

"Decepticon coward!" Wheeljack growled.

"Let the girl go and face us!" Bulkhead challenged angrily.

"Don't fret. Plenty of fighting to come," The Decepticon taunted.

"Is there a REAL Sunburst?" Jack asked worriedly, looking up at us.

"Of course there is! But our boy must have been taken captive and replaced by this phoney here during the battle when we arrived," Wheeljack summarised what could've happened.

Makeshift nodded at the theory, "Oh, indeed, and I expect Lord Starscream and Lady Slipstream to be making sport of him."

* * *

N **O ONE'S P.O.V**

The Vehicons waited patiently for their the next order on the deck of the Decepticon Warship. They weren't allowed to move a single inch out of their stance. They had to be ready for an upcoming battle.

But how far away was that battle?

"Are you certain we are at the coordinates we supplied to Makeshift?" Starscream asked Soundwave, who nodded at him in response.

"Why's he taking so long then?!" Rebecca whined with a bored tone, yawning.

"Maybe my team gave your dude such the hero's welcome, he got the warm fuzzies and decided the Autobots were the better side." The Decepticon leaders quickly spun around at the voice.

Sunburst was approaching them.

"How did you get out your cell?!" Rebecca angrily questioned.

"Do you not see you are vastly outnumbered?" Starscream tormented.

"Do you not see the dumb Decepticon drones who might _vastly_ enjoy me pound some dents into you?" Sunburst retorted, preparing his fists.

"DESTROY HIM!" Slipstream commanded.

The Vehicons raced to the Autobot at their female leader's command, blasters firing shots towards their enemy. Sunburst smirked, pulling his bronze-coloured twin battle axes out from the hilt on his back. As the blaster fire rained around him, the Autobot let out a warrior cry and charged towards the Decepticons. He put his battle axes to good use immediately, reflecting some of the firepower from them back to the dumb Decepticon drones he referred them to...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

We watched with baited breath as the imposter began typing commands in the Groundbridge. I kind of sighed in relief – with the defrag process of the controls, the Groundbridge wouldn't be powering up a little while longer. That meant that we would had some ti-

The defrag process suddenly sped up.

The frag?!

The 'Con must have typed those commands in to sped it up and complete it so he could use the Groundbridge.

Scrap!

"About time." When the Decepticon pulled the lever down, the portal came to life in front of us.

There was no doubt in my mind about two things - one was he was going to go through that 'Bridge with my human friend, and the second was that waiting on the other side of the portal were one or two people we did not want to see.

I gulped nervously at our predicament. At least the Groundbridge now works without a hitch...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Sunburst wasted no time during his battle with the Decepticons. While his battle axes were still reflecting blaster shots back into the crowd, he knew that it wouldn't be long that he would have to put them to a more proper use and start slicing the Vehicons.

Starscream narrowed his optics at the Autobot. This one wasn't stupid, unlike some of other of his enemies he had meet during the war. If he wanted to get rid of this one before he overcame them and returned home, the male leader of the Decepticons knew he had to get rid of the enemy immediately. Enraged, he fired a missile at the Autobot.

Sunburst failed to see the missile coming, landing right before his feet and exploding. Through the black smoke and orange flame, the yellow Autobot flew backwards. He managed to land onto his feet and wait for the Vehicons to come to him. One of them charged up, but the Autobot stabbed him in his torso, spinning him into the next one in line. Using the growing pile of Vehicons as a lift, he jumped on top of them and leaped towards the Decepticon that fired the missile at him.

He used him as landing zone, hitting him with a warrior cry. He was ready to take his anger out on the Decepticon when a swirling blue and green portal appeared behind the strewn Decepticon bodies. He smirked..

"What do we have here?"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Carly continued struggling in the Decepticon's grip, trying to pull herself out of his servo desperately to escape him. The more she failed to do so, the more panicked she became. I was freaking out for her. I needed to save her before that 'Con exited the base!

We slowly moved towards the 'Con when he started walking backwards to the open Groundbridge.

The 'Con however, raised the servo that wasn't holding my friend up, "Let's get this party started!"

That's it!

I balled my servos into fists and prepared to fight him. But suddenly, a yellow figure flew through the 'Bridge and onto the imposter. The force made the 'Con lose his grip on Carly, who began screaming when she was in the air. I wanted to desperately try catching her, but she was too high for me to reach. A servo reached above me and caught me friend. Oh thank Primus!

Her saviour was Wheeljack, who was putting her onto the ground. The humans took turns checking her over and hugging her when they thought she was safe. Can I get a hug in next?!

I looked at the imposter-con lying on the ground. My optics looked up at the mech who had knocked him down. He looked EXACTLY the same as the imposter. Is he Sunburst?

I didn't want to assume it was...

"I'd shut that hole before the rest of the party turn up."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Slipstream helped her brother to his knees, weakened by the blow Sunburst had landed on him before he had escaped through the Groundbridge. She had fired a missile at the retreating figure, but he had dodged it and used the blasts' force to propel himself into the portal.

Energon pooling at the corner of his mouth, Starscream looked up at the still open portal before him and gasped, immediately yelling the next order for his Decepticon army.

"ENTER THE GROUNDBRIDGE NOW!"

The Decepticons didn't mess around, following their leader's order and beginning their charge. But just as two Vehicons were close enough to leap in, the portal swirled shut with no Decepticons being able to race in after the Autobot.

Starscream screamed in frustration. His Decepticon army was so useless!

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Ratchet did what he was told, but my optics remained focused on the two yellow mechs now standing opposite each other with their bronze-coloured battle axes. They immediately began circling each other around the Autobot logo on the floor of our base. Starlight, Aquastrike, Ratchet and Wheeljack were on the opposite side of Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Arcee and I. The humans were down near our feet.

I punched my fist in my palm. I don't know if this yellow mech that just came through the portal was the real Sunburst, but I still wanted to give this phoney one a piece of my fist for threatening my friend.

No one messes with Carly. No. One.

Battle axes blocked my view suddenly. "Ugly's mine."

The two yellow mechs charged forward at each other, their battle axes clashing with orange sparks flying at the metal contact. Over and over and over again, their bronze-coloured weapons clashed...

"Which one's the real Sunburst?" I looked down at Raf adjusting his red-rimmed glasses.

Miko pointed around at the figure she believed was Sunburst until she became confused,"I lost track!"

By Primus, I had no idea who was who either! I'm not gonna lie - it's too much yellow!

Each figure lost a battle axe during the fight. One mech scratched the other's wrist as a distraction before kneeing him in the stomach armour. The hit caught him off-guard and lose grip of his weapon. It was snatched off him before he was slashed at with the axe. He collapsed to the ground.

The imposter had the battle axe held to him, the spikes barely touching the cables of his neck. The guy holding the axe looked over at the Groundbridge controls, "Ratch, get the switch! The trash is overdue!"

"Allow me." Wheeljack smirked and reached down to the imposter still on the ground.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Angered by his incompetent army, Starscream curled his hand into his fist, ready to address the troops when the blue and green swirling portal appeared behind his army and in front of five Decepticon drones that had charged at the original portal.

To see the Decepticons drones BACKING AWAY from the Groundbridge, and the troops behind them that did nothing except for standing there, Slipstream growled in disbelief, "What are you waiting for? GO!"

Immediately, the troops raced towards it, the first few leaping into the portal.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Wheeljack held up the imposter above his helm as the Groundbridge opened up. He spun around with a warrior cry and threw the 'Con into the portal with ease.

That's one problem taken care of.

I glanced at the yellow mech in his place. Was this the real Sunburst?

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

As soon as a Groundbridge portal reappeared, the Vehicons wasted no time in obeying the commands to enter it. But when they saw what was flying towards them, they had no choice but to race back out immediately, crashing into the group of Vehicons that had been waiting to enter the portal.

Makeshift flew helplessly into the air, slowly making his descent downwards. And his target?

None other than Starscream and Slipstream themselves.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Wheeljack and the yellow mech eyed up the Groundbridge portal like they were making sure that there weren't going to be any more Decepticon imposters, or any other Decepticons for that matter, filing in.

The yellow mech complimented Wheeljack proudly, "Nice lob."

He sounded the same, fought the same, behaved the same, and he definitely looked the same. But I was still unconvinced as I walked up to him.

"Sunburst?" I didn't even recognise the whisper that came out of my mouth.

The yellow mech with the white stripes looked at me, his optics softening. There was a familiar fondness about them, more so than the imposters. His servo suddenly gripped my shoulders, a cheeky grin playing on his lip plates.

"When were you gonna invite me to this party, 'Swept?"

I couldn't help the grin on my face.

Welcome home, Sunshine.

* * *

 **NO ONE P.O.V**

As the Groundbridge portal to the Autobot base swirled shut, an angry Starscream got up and looked down at the Decepticon shifter that had just landed on him and his sister.

"Please tell me that you at least learned the location of their base."

"Indeed, Lord Starscream and Lady Slipstream," Makeshift answered as he stood to his feet, rubbing his mouth, "It is in a hidden bunker just outside of-"

Something started beeping, causing Slipstream to hold out a finger to the shifter to get him to pause in his sentence. The beeping noise wasn't too far away, she could tell. The Decepticon co-leader glanced down to Makeshift's hip where the sound was emanting from. Her optics widened at the sight she found.

An activate grenade.

Starscream spotted the flashing colours at the side of the Decepticon, immediately running from the scene. "RETREAT!" Slipstream grabbed the floating and confused Rebecca beside her, also fleeing.

Makeshift was also confused by why the Decepticon leaders were transforming and flying away from him. That was until he looked to his hip to find the grenade on his hip flashing with a bright red.

"Oh no."

Those words were to be his last as the grenade exploded in a flash of blue, taking out any of the Vehicons standing too close.

Slipstream wasn't too pleased with her 'loyal' friend.

"MAKESHIFT! YOU FOOL!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The party lasted well into the night and early into the next morning. By the time the drama was all over with, it was already way past midnight and too late for us to take the kids home WITHOUT waking up their probably worried parents. So they came up with the excuse that they were all doing projects at a mutual friend's house and they hadn't realised what the time was until it was way too late into the night.

Still bright-eyed and well awake, the humans were getting the party re-fired again. Now with a backing track to play to, Miko immediately began strumming her guitar. Raf was dancing away quickly with Bumblebee and Starlight joining in behind him. Jack and Carly were dancing together – yes, I said TOGETHER – and laughing, especially when she twirled around in his hands.

"It's like a recurring nightmare." I heard Ratchet moan in frustration.

I looked over at Arcee in amusement, smiling even bigger as she shook her helm in disbelief of the younger Autobots and our human friends.

I discovered that I wasn't the only one looking over at Arcee. Optimus, who had returned late into the night to find us still chatting away and having fun, too was looking at her shaking her helm.

Bulkhead, Wheeljack, Sunburst and Aquastrike were surrounding my leader. I bit my lip at seeing Aquastrike - I felt bad for bringing up Raindrop's death. It was an event that a lot of the Iacon team never really recovered from, but none more so that Aqua. It's a wonder really that she's managed to stay being herself.

I walked up to my aqua blue friend and patted her wrist to get her attention, "I'm sorry that I had to bring up Raindrop's death. I just knew something wasn't right."

Aquastrike gripped my shoulder with a small smile, "It's okay Windy. I know dat was hard for ya too. Good thin' you got a pair of good optics, huh?"

I let out a small noise between a laugh and hum at that statement. I hadn't spoken about Raindrop's death like that in a long time. Sometimes it's best to not keep things all bottled up like that...

"Now that you're part of Team Prime, we need to pick out a vehicle mode for you. I have some ideas," Bulkhead started grinning, elbowing Wheeljack knowingly.

"Uh…about that, Bulk. Now that my ship's repaired, I'm itching to know what else I might find out there."

"Wait! You're leaving?" Miko exclaimed as the humans raced up to us with Arcee, Bumblebee and Starlight behind them.

"Why?" Carly asked.

I don't think Wheeljack had the spark to answer, so Bulkhead replied in his place, "Because some bots never change." He even had a small chuckle too.

Wheeljack smiled at him before looking over at Aquastrike and Sunburst, "You two coming with?"

Starlight and I exchanged a look of worry. We didn't know whether they would stay to be honest. Sunburst literally got the welcome from hell and maybe Aquastrike wasn't feeling up to sticking around and battling the drama that was coming in from the Decepticons. Maybe 'Bots do change...

Sunburst looked my pleading optics, attempting to fight the so-called puppy dog look I was giving him. Finally, he groaned, covering his optics, "Fine! If I stay, will you stop?!"

Did he really need an answer to that question?

I leaped into his arms as an answer anyway, wrapping my arms around his neck tightly.

"Maybe I should stick around too," Aquastrike hummed, "This place aint' so bad. And the humans are so adorable!"

Of course Aquastrike was keen on more battles from our enemies!

As Sunburst set me down on my feet, I watched Wheeljack look at Aqua in fake disappointment, "Oh, and here's me worried about you repeatedly attempting to tell me how to fly my own spaceship!"

"I'm gonna miss ya too, Jackie-bot," Aquastrike smiled softly and sadly, exchanging a hand shake with the white, green and red Autobot, "But with this neck lace hangin' 'round my neck-" She gripped the butterbot bead tightly with her other servo, "-You'll never be too far from my mind."

That sentence hit me hard. Aquastrike's been wearing that small blue butterbot necklace since for as long as I could remember. I think she said it was a gift from her brother to remind her of him every day.

Wheeljack was her brother.

Our histories were twisted together once again.

"Wheeljack, know that you always have a haven here," Optimus reminded him.

"Jackie never stays," Bulkhead sighed as he began patting him on the back, "But he always comes back." The two exchanged a smile before fist-bumping.

* * *

When Wheeljack signaled that he was ready to go, Ratchet was quick to bridge us back out to the desert where Wheeljack's ship was resting and waiting. The four humans as well as Bulkhead, Arcee, Bumblebee, Aquastrike, Sunburst, Starlight and myself joined him to say our farewells.

"There's room for two, Bulk. Even with a backside like yours." Bulkhead turned to face Wheeljack at the offer, "Who knows what we might find out there? Some of the old crew?"

Bulkhead looked to be mulling it over like he wasseriously considering the offer. I'd miss him if he did leave. He was our muscle afterall, but we wouldn't be lacking as much now that we had Sunburst and Aquastrike here. Still, that big brother aura might disappear in base if he were to go.

I saw him look at Miko, who began rubbing her arm in defeat like she knew he was going to choose Wheeljack over her. Carly wrapped an arm around her shoulders as if she was silently reminding her friend that we were all still gonna be here.

I don't think that'll be enough for her though...

Bulkhead started chuckling, looking back at Wheeljack, "Sounds like fun, Jackie. But my ties are here now..." The bulky mech looked over his shoulder at us, "With them... with her."

Miko beamed instantly at the words that Bulkhead wasn't going anywhere. By the looks of it, I believed that the choice he was given was something he knew couldn't topple what he had been given here on Earth.

Wheeljack smiled and nodded in understanding, looking around the green former Wrecker, "Anything happens to my favourite Wrecker or my sister, or Sunshine here for that matter, I'm coming after you."

I grinned as Wheeljack playfully teased Miko and Carly.

"We'll take good care of them," Miko promised as she and Carly whipped out their phones, pointing them at Bulkhead, Wheeljack, Aquastrike and Sunburst, "Now say cheese."

 _ **FLASH**_

* * *

And so, we are introduced to two more OC characters. I suppose that you didn't see that coming at first, but then again, based on the original chapter title, you had to have a feeling that something interesting was going to happen. Whenever I see someone rewrite this episode for their own series rewrites, they normally take that as an opportunity to introduce already known characters. I just felt like a change was needed (That, and I'm not too overly familiar with the Transformers universe as a whole. I didn't want to write in a character and be judged for something that isn't quite right with them).

(And now, if you can excuse me, I've got some binge watching to do on the new DC Universe streaming site... Hmm, there's a few shows I've been watching on there lately... Maybe in the future, I'll be diving into some Young Justice writing too!)

Follows/favourites/reviews make me want to continue writing.

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 11/07/2019** )


	10. Chpt 10: Convoy

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

Chapter 10... I'm quite surprised and, to be honest, quite proud, that I've made it this far for now. Wonder what I'll think when I get to Chapter 20, let alone the end of this first part of this series. Guess we'll have to find out when we get there, huh?

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept and the other OC's belong to me.

(Chapter Title: Road Trip! Road Trip!)

* * *

" _ **PRIME!**_ "

Ahhh, Agent Fowler... it's been a few weeks since we've heard your voice ring out angrily across base.

Since Wheeljack's departure, and Sunburst and Aquastrike's decision to stay, Miko, Carly and I have taken it upon ourselves to make sure they were brought up to speed on Earth's culture. This also included Starlight, since she hadn't been here for less than a week before our old friends turned up.

After about a week of lessons and training with the team to prove their capabilities as warriors, the next step for Aquastrike and Sunburst was to get them vehicle forms so they could get out of base. They had started to go a _little_ stir-crazy not even two days after their arrival. And you could definitely tell that they had been stuck together for _way_ too long since they both choose vehicle forms of the same make!

Sunburst was quick to choose his form; a Ferrari Enzo XX Evolution 2009. Sleek and good looking just like him. But just because I said that, does not mean that I think of him in that way. And Aquastrike took a suggestion from Carly and Miko; a Ferrari 458 Italia that matched perfectly with her body frame. Now she had a reason for those wings on her back!

Carly's taken quite well to Sunburst's arrival; she was getting along with him really well and was even spending a lot of time with him nearly more so than me! Miko and Aquastrike clicked from day one, their similar personalities fitting perfectly together. And the more Starlight gets closer with Bumblebee, the more she gets closer with Raf.

Everyone's being getting along so well lately. Even Ratchet's gotten himself out of his grumpiness to be more friendly!

But with Fowler here... I don't think that's going to last...

" _ **PRIME!**_ "

Jeez, settle down Fowler. Optimus is getting there!

"Special Agent Fowler, to what do we owe-?"

" _ **What else? 'Cons!**_ " Fowler instantly growled, cutting off our leader.

Should we be surprised?

* * *

 **NO ONE P.O.V**

Resting in forest was Agent Fowler's jet. The same one Skyquake had scanned to gain a vehicle form to help his fight against the Autobots. With smoke drifting lightly around the aircraft and with the way the dirt had been dug from the ship, chances were that the Agent had suffered a crash-landing.

"I chased them off with some hard ordnance! But not before they blew me out of the sky!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Miko and Carly, surrounded by Raf and Jack on each side, stifled laughs of amusement, "Again?"

A video link of Agent Fowler appeared on the screen, showing him tightly buckled up in his personal aircraft as he continued to explain what had happened to him, " _ **They tried to smash and grab for the DINGUS!**_ "

"The whatsit?" Arcee cocked her head to the side like she was trying to understand what he was saying.

I never bothered trying to understand him. He always said a lot of things that didn't make sense to me so why bother when he would probably just continue saying a whole lot of random scrap?

" _ **Dynamic Nuclear Generation System. AKA DINGUS,**_ " Fowler explained as he switched the video feed to a tightly secured crate in his ship, " _ **It's a prototype energy source I'm transporting to the coast for testing.**_ "

Ratchet instantly started with his scoffing, "That's absurd. Why would Starscream and Slipstream bother themselves with primitive technology?"

"They are pretty unpredictable, Ratchet," Sunburst pointed out beside me.

The video link switched back to Fowler for him to pitch in his own answer, " _ **I'm guessing to make a big bad primitive weapon of mass destruction. If this baby were to meltdown, it would irradiate this state and the four next door!**_ "

"Uh…did Agent Fowler say what state he was currently in?" I heard Raf gulp nervously,

" _ **I'm a sitting duck here, Prime. I need you to spin up your bridge and send the DINGUS through to its destination before the 'Cons come back for it!**_ " Fowler begged desperately.

"I'm afraid that sending such a volatile device through a Groundbridge is out of the question," Optimus immediately answer, "If there were to be an accident during its transmission, the radiation of which you speak could propagate through the Groundbridge vortex and harm ALL 50 states and beyond."

Fowler sighed with a grimace before looking back at us with a raised eyebrow, " _ **You got any better ideas?**_ "

* * *

Optimus came up with the idea of transporting the technology to its' destination by travelling on the road. He was going to be carrying the DINGUS via his trailer. Arcee was going to be resting inside it to guard the device. Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Starlight and I were going to be Optimus' escorts, travelling around our leader to guard him in case whoever it was that shot Agent Fowler's jet down in the first place came back for another round.

Only this time, they'll have us to contend with.

Optimus decided that because Aquastrike and Sunburst had yet to go out an a proper field mission, and because this was an occasion we were rarely tasked with, they were probably better off at base as being our back-up in case things went wrong. Plus, they could keep Ratchet happy by keeping the humans distracted.

Being Optimus' first line of defence from the front meant that Starlight and I could see Fowler in the cockpit from our rear-view mirrors. I twisted mine up, watching him clasp his hands in excitement before laying one hand on Optimus' steering wheel.

Big mistake.

"Ah, ah, no need, Agent Fowler. I will handle the driving."

The man slumped in his seat, crossing his arms, "It's gonna be a long trip."

The five of us started up our engines as Optimus gave us the good-to-go words, "Autobots, roll out!"

Activating our holoforms, Starlight and I were the first to take off with our leader and the boys behind us. We immediately drove away from the crashed aircraft and out of the forest.

Let's get this road trip started!

* * *

We weren't even more than ten minutes into our drive before I was already starting to get bored. There was literally no one in sight apart from Optimus and the boys behind me and Starlight. We had no one to really talk to but ourselves.

Arcee was probably the one feeling the most bored out all of us in the trailer to be fair. I used the private commlink we share to talk to her, "How's it going Arcee?"

There was a sigh at the other end of the line, " _ **Not too great, 'Swept. Have I ever told you that I'm claustrophobic?**_ "

I was confused, "No?"

" _ **I think I might be.**_ "

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Meanwhile at Autobot base, Ratchet kept one of his monitors above him locked onto the signals of the five Autobots travelling down the road to deliver the DINGUS to the West Coast.

"We are locked onto your coordinates, Optimus." The four humans watched the monitor with Aquastrike, Sunburst and the medic, "Following any complications, you should reach the drop-off point by sundown."

Miko let out a yawn of boredom. It was going to be a long day without her guardian.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

It was inevitable we would strike some traffic either ahead of, passing by, or behind us during the DINGUS transportation journey. In this case, it was ahead of us in the form of an old creamy-yellow pick up truck... driving very slowly ahead of us.

Very, very slowly.

Very, very, very slowly.

I had driven up the back of vehicle multiple times in frustration. Can't he take a hint?!

Optimus eventually told to back off after about the sixth time. I followed the order, but just because I did, it didn't mean the slow vehicle didn't annoy me further.

Sudden honking of a horn behind Starlight and I grabbed my attention. I flicked my mirror up at Fowler in the cab.

" _ **Move it, Gramps!**_ " See Optimus? Even Fowler's getting annoyed too!

The driver o the old truck must have gotten tired of us annoying him. He pulled over to the side and allowed the team past. Finally! I kicked up speed again happily, free to drive to my own speed without pulling too far.

The Agenr was still honking the horn even after all the traffic around us had disappeared. You can stop now, Fowler.

Seriously... Stop!

" _ **Agent Fowler, is that really necessary?**_ " Optimus asked over the main comm-link he had opened for all of us to speak into. This allowed us to make contact with each other if something was wrong.

Fowler stopped - about time - and, from my mirror I could see him slumping in his seat, " _ **Aw, don't tell me you're one of those textbook drivers?**_ "

If I was in my normal Cybertronian form, I would've been rolling my optics at the Agent. Yeah, he wasn't wrong. This _was_ going to be a long trip...

* * *

 **NO ONE P.O.V**

The device was strapped securely within Optimus Prime's trailer the journey continued. But as far as the monitor was concerned, all it focused on was the main blinking orange dot known as the DINGUS was in a vehicle surrounded by four vehicles from the front and back

" _ **They're transporting in an unarmed civilian truck**_ ," A voice spoke, watching from high above as a yellow Urbana 500 drove in between two motorcycles and the truck. One of the motorcycles, a pink and white 2006 Suzuki GSXR 600, quickly fell back behind the truck to join the green off-terrain vehicle.

High above in the blue sky and white clouds, a helicopter was flying, following the vehicles carrying the DINGUS on the ground. Its' occupant was sending out instructions to his crew, " _ **Send in the ground units.**_ "

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Starlight could sense that something was wrong when all the traffic had suddenly disappeared when we were approaching a bend. She had requested to Optimus fall back with Bulkhead to keep an optic out from behind and have Bumblebee switch with her. Optimus allowed the change in order. So now it was me Bumblebee leading the way, then Optimus and Agent Fowler with the DINGUS, and Bulkhead and Starlight at the tail end.

"All good back there, Star?" I asked my friend.

" _ **A bit better now,**_ " she replied, " _ **I'll keep you guys posted.**_ "

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if she was feeling a little bit of pressure. This was her first serious mission – on a technicality since the last time we got out of base properly was to greet Sunburst, Aquastrike and Wheeljack. But still, this was the first time she was properly out on the field and of all missions, it was a transport one. She probably didn't want to lead in case something happened that she couldn't control.

I understood how she was feeling, I was like that when I first arrived on Earth and quickly jumped into a scouting mission with Bulkhead. I was freaking out that day, scared that a human would appear as we were travelling around in our normal Cybertronian selves. I hadn't even acquired a vehicle form at the time! But thankfully, all ended accordingly and successfully. After that, I kind of settled in a bit of rhythm when it came to any kind of mission. So I was hoping that after this mission, Starlight would soon relax and quickly find a rhythm to help her deal with whatever was next.

" _ **You know, you're saving my bacon here, Prime,**_ " I heard Agent Fowler remark over the radio when our silence was becoming too much.

" _ **I am proud to be of service,**_ " Optimus answered humbly.

" _ **'Course, not like I'd needed your help if you and the 'Cons kept the war in your own corner of the galaxy.**_ "

What was he saying? Was he saying that if we stayed on Cybertron then the world wouldn't have to deal with us? Or was he saying that no such evil of any kind existed on Earth before we turned up?

I jumped into the conversation before I could stop myself, "Fowler, you better not be saying that no evil existed on this planet before we turned up."

" _ **Oh... welllllll,**_ " Agent Fowler stuttered at the question, " _ **Different evil.**_ "

Different evil? ... Different how? And what's with the stuttering?

" _ **How about some radio?**_ " Fowler instantly suggested like he was changing the subject " _ **Prime**_ _ **seem's like a Nashville sounding kind of guy.**_ "

I went to question what he meant by a 'different evil', but the sounds of a low flying helicopter appeared in my audio receptors. And I was pretty confident that I wasn't the only one who heard them. I spotted Agent Fowler looking through Optimus rear-view mirror through my own. I flicked my mirrors up and, sure enough, there was an army green helicopter flying close to us.

"That's the one!" Agent Fowler immediately shouted. He didn't even need the comms to tell us! "The 'Con who shot me down! Who is he? Wingnut? Dingbat? Skyguy?"

Although they were some pretty interesting names to call Cybertronians, I'm afraid I've never heard any Decepticons named Wingnut or Dingbat or Skyguy in all my life.

" _ **W**_ _ **e have a problem,**_ " Starlight sing-songed over the comms.

" _ **Watch your rear-views,**_ " Bulkhead warned in a similar tone.

With no traffic heading our way on the other side of the road, I pulled over to that side to see what they were talking about. Three green vehicles with one thick black strip going over their roofs were tailing them. They quickly proceeded to crowd around Bulkhead and Starlight, boxing them in.

Well scrap...

" _ **I'm feeling a little constricted without the use of my fists here, boss,**_ " Bulkhead complained.

" _ **Remain in vehicular mode unless absolutely necessary.**_ "

One of the vehicles managed to get ahead of Bulkhead and immediately began catching onto the back of Optimus' trailer. I was pulling back in when Fowler started gasping.

"A whole team of 'Cons!"

* * *

 **NO ONE P.O.V**

At the words that the Decepticons were coming, the Cybertronians and humans were quickly looking at the monitors, expecting to see the five blue Autobot signals being crowded around the purple Decepticon signals.

Sunburst and Aquastrike exchanged a look of concerned. All they saw were the five blue dots.

"Agent Fowler, I don't mean to question your judgement, but that doesn't sound right," Sunburst warned.

"We're not picking up anything!" Ratchet observed, placing his hands on his hips as he tried to figure out what was happening, "They must be utilising a cloaking technology."

* * *

Flying high above in the helicopter, the aircraft watched as his team, scattered within the five green and black-striped cars, crowed around the darker green off-terrain vehicle and the pink and white motorcycle with ease. They were nearing their target ahead of them in the form of a red and blue semi with the trailer carrying the device they were looking for ahead.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I looked through my mirror at the sound of another vehicle approaching. One of those green and black-striped vehicles that had boxed in Bulkhead and Starlight was pulling over in front of Bumblebee and I, slowing us down suddenly. I had to swerve out of the way to not make any contact with him as my speed was too fast with his.

Panic coursed through me immediately. I couldn't see anything ahead of me except for the vehicle that had raced into my view. It felt like I had no room around me with Bumblebee and Optimus behind and this idiot ahead of me. I pulled out from the train we were running in, trying to get clear space. But the idiot quickly followed and blocked me. I ducked back in front of Bumblebee, but the vehicle copied me again. I could tell he was trying to agitate me.

It was certainly working. If I didn't regain control of myself soon, I was gonna do something terribly stupid to get rid this guy!

"Optimus..." I warned, but my warning come out sounding like a cry for help.

" _ **Remain calm, Windswept,**_ " He replied gently, attempting to calm me.

It's gonna a lot more than that to settle me down right now.

One of the vehicles raced up on the opposite side of the road behind me, pulling up beside Optimus. Through my mirror, I watched Fowler look out his window to see the vehicle. A human popped out from its' roof, holding up a gun at the Agent...

A human!

Humans were coming to attack us!

Are you serious?!

"Pull over!" I heard the guy instruct in a yell.

" _ **Well, I'll be dipped!**_ "

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

" _ **Our assailants are not Decepticons.**_ _ **They are human.**_ "

"Human?" Jack, Raf, Carly and Ratchet gasped at the new information.

"Oh please," Miko scoffed, "Taking on our bots? They're road-kill!"

Aquastrike was in total surprise. Not every single in the human on the planet were as nice as Jack, Carly, Miko or Raf? Or sort of nice like Agent Fowler?

The aqua blue femme looked down at the humans on the platforms, leaning against the railing, "I thought all you 'umans were kind-sparked 'nd cool like you guys?"

Carly sighed, using the railing to push herself forward to face one of the recent recruits, "We all have our bad sides..."

* * *

In the helicopter, a man with grey hair in a black protective suit watched his men in the green and black cars on the road. They had done the first part of their job well. The first being to gather round the five vehicles who were transporting something he needed via.

Beside him, a man wearing a similar protective suit with the addition of a face mask and goggles continued to fly the helicopter while the man beside him starred coldly at the road.

"Gentlemen. Stop their engines."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I gave up trying to get around this vehicle in front of me and and looked through my mirror as the man standing out of the green and black-striped car beside Optimus pointed his weapon at Agent Fowler.

I didn't like our Agent too much, but not enough to watch someone kill him!

I think Optimus thought the same thing. He rammed into the vehicle suddenly, unsettling it and the man sticking out the roof. The man fired a shot accidentally to the ground close to my leader. He used the grey smoke and orange flame to his advantage, speeding away from the vehicle.

" _ **Who are these guys?**_ " Agent Fowler questioned

" _ **Autobots, maintain your cover,**_ " Optimus instructed on the main comm-link, " _ **And apply minimal force. Disarmament only.**_ "

I switched lanes again in an attempt to get some clear air and to get rid of this choking feeling that had started to appear over the last few minutes, but the vehicle ahead, as I expected him to, drove in front of me again as if I was going to try to overtake him. Bumblebee appeared at my side to try and confuse the car. It pulled onto the middle of the road, driving over the center line to keep both of us behind him.

Maybe if Bumblebee could continue driving beside me, we could try to distract the vehicle long enough to pull him onto my side of the road. Then Bumblebee could take him out.

"Bee, you on the line?"

" _ **Gotcha 'Swept! What's the plan?**_ "

"I need you to pull back and let me back in line. Then you pull up beside me while I try to distracting the car just enough to pull him my way. You get alongside of him and shove him out into the dirt!" I explained my plan, "That should make him slip behind us so we can regain control of this convoy."

Bumblebee was quickly to answer my suggestion, " _ **Let's do it!**_ " His eagerness shone through his whirrs and beeps.

He slowed down as per my request, allowing me in. The car followed to continue to block my line of sight. 'Bee quickly drove alongside me and, as we expected, the vehicle reacted and drove back to the middle of the road. I slowly pulled towards the edge of the road where the pavement met the dirt, catching up to the guy. He pulled my way, just like I hoped, attempting to block me from getting any overlap on him. The distraction was enough for Bumblebee to slip up beside him on the other side. I pulled back just in time for him to knock the vehicle into the dirt.

"YES!" We cheered. That, ladies and gentlebots, is teamwork!

The vehicle reappeared in my vision. He managed to get back on the road beside Optimus and slowly began creeping up alongside him.

"Bumblebee!" I warned the mech.

My teammate suddenly slowed down ahead of the guy, bumping him backwards. But it wasn't long before that car reappeared again. He just won't quit will he?! 'Bee quickly bashed into the side of him, making him fall back and this time, the car didn't reappear. I looked through my mirror, seeing Bulkhead, Starlight and all those other cars scattering like that car had crashed and they were serving to avoid it.

Yes! One down!

Bumblebee and I shared the lead of the convoy as we began navigating the twists and turns ahead of us.

* * *

 **NO ONE P.O.V**

The grey-haired man watched his four remaining black and green-striped vehicles continue their following of the five vehicles ahead. Having lost ground on the convoy his lead vehicle was knocked off course, flipping multiple times, the four vehicles just laid back slightly, waiting to plan a new way of getting to the device.

The man in the passenger side of the helicopter had seen the way his lead car had crashed, how his men were tricked. He knew that something wasn't right. The way the moves were made by the vehicles who had taken his men out in order to them crash..

His suspicions were becoming to come true. Looking on the monitor showing his team and the vehicles, he knew that their signals were ones he had never seen before.

"Those are not civilian drivers!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

We had to tug the corners of the road tightly to avoid skidding out. Its' weird how this planet's roads were set out, curving back and forwards up this hill... Optimus was the one trying the hardest out of all of us to get round the bends with the trailer latched on holding him back to some extent.

" _ **I could use some air.**_ "

Looking through my mirrors, I could see Fowler looking ill from the quick turns Optimus was forced to pull. He threw his head out the open window and resting his chin on the ledge. I think he was getting some air to help him feel better.

Screeching tires suddenly filled my audios. I flicked my mirrors to the side to see one of those green and black-striped vehicles pulling up near where our leader's truck form and trailer were connected. A human appeared on top of the roof with something in his hand before disappearing into the small gap.

" _ **Optimus, you have another human on board!**_ " Starlight suddenly warned.

"Prime! BARE RIGHT!" Fowler instructed so loudly, I could hear him without the use of the comms.

Optimus did as he was told, making slight contact with the approaching vehicle before hitting him even harder. That sent the vehicle over the edge of the cliff, disappearing down the banking.

Three to go.

I spotted the human that had jumped into the gap between Optimus and the trailer barely hanging on to my leader's truck form. He managed to pull himself back in to continue his work.

Agent Fowler suddenly opened the driver's side door, hopping out and scaling along the side of our leader's semi truck form. He jumped into the gap between Optimus and his trailer. I watched with baited breath, waiting for any kind of movement to happen. Suddenly, Fowler reappeared with the man, holding him into the open air where he could easily be collected by anything we were passing by. His weapon flew out of his grasp.

Fowler's voice was loud enough for me to hear, "You gonna tell me everything I want to kno-"

A tree we drove past at rapid speed collected the human, knocking him out of Fowler's grasp before he could finish what he was saying. Defeated by the chance he had, Agent Fowler scaled back into Optimus' cabin, opening the door and getting back into the truck.

" _ **I do hope you take better care of the DINGUS then then you do of your captives.**_ "

A helicopter sound forced my mirrors up. The air vehicle was flying lowly over Optimus' trailer. Maybe whoever's in that aircraft was the guy sending all these men in vehicles to come and attack us.

" _ **Special Agent William Fowler here. Identify yourself.**_ "

But why?

" _ **I am Silas. But of greater consequence to you, we are MECH,"**_ Silas introduced himself and his team of men toFowler, " _ **Fair warning, we will be helping ourselves to your device. Even if it means inflicting casualties.**_ "

The DINGUS! Of course!

Why did they want the DINGUS, though? What so important about it that made them shoot Fowler out of the sky in an attempt to grab it?

" _ **Is that so? Tell me, Si. Tell me what the market price is for DINGUS these days?**_ " Fowler questioned.

Was this 'Silas' guy going to sell the DINGUS to make money? Would've thought he had enough since he so many men in these custom-made cars chasing after us.

" _ **What makes you think we intend to sell it, Agent Fowler?**_ "

...He **wasn't** going to sell it?

" _ **There's a war brewing; between the new world order and the newest. The victor will be the side armed with the most innovative technology.**_ "

I heard loud gun shots behind me before the sound of explosions came through my audio receptors. Pointing my mirrors around, I could only see the normal sights that I had seen nearly the entire road trip; Bumblebee, Optimus with Fowler still inside the cab... The only new sight I saw was orange flames and grey smoke fading up from the back of Optimus' trailer.

Scrap!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The trailer door slowly slid open from the bottom up, revealing the DINGUS to the man appearing from the roof of the vehicle he was travelling in, weapon in hand. He had just shot three bombs, landing them on the bars that kept the trailer shut. With a simple press of a button on his gun, the bomb had explodied, destroying the bars and allowing the door to open.

Looking through the rear-view mirror inside Optimus' cab, Agent Fowler caught sight of the man climbing out from the car and make his way to the trailer ahead of him.

"So, Si, you think MECH has the most radical tech?" The dark-skinned agent asked tormentingly.

As the man prepared himself to take the leap towards the trailer, the revving sound of a motorcycle caught his attention. A blue motorcycle, unknown to him as an Autobot known as Arcee, leaped. With her holoform named Sadie activated, she landed on the vehicle and the man sticking out it.

The force bounced the car onto its' roof before flipping. As Arcee sped up to avoid the car's flips, another one of MECH's vehicles collided with the flipping vehicle, unable to slow down in time to avoid it. The car flew through the air before landing on its' roof, exploding in a huge orange and grey fireball. Starlight and Bulkhead were forced to the edge of the road to avoid the explosions, the latter dropping two of his wheels on the dirt.

Flying above, Silas and his pilot continued watching the vehicles that were guarding the DINGUS. They were in disbelief. For them to drive around like that AND to come off without a scratch! The humans knew their enemies weren't human. Not one single bit of them were.

"Definitely not civilian drivers," the pilot remarked as he navigated the helicopter away from the black smoke rising from the explosion.

Smirking at what he had just watched through the rear-view mirror, Agent Fowler turned back to the radio in his hand, "Later Si!"

"Agent Fowler, do not take your 'Silas' lightly," Optimus warned his passenger, "Megatron preached the very same ideology before plunging Cybertron into the Great War that destroyed our world."

"Optimus," Ratchet began through the comm-link, " _ **P**_ _ **repare to initiate phase two. Five miles ahead to the south, you will reach the rendezvous point.**_ "

* * *

Flying high above in the blue sky and white clouds was the Decepticon Warship. It seemed as if that the Decepticons weren't doing much this time around. No one was flying around searching for Autobot activity, there were no miners mining for Energon in any mines and there were no troubles anywhere that Soundwave had to report to his Lord and Lady of the Decepticons

" _ **Five miles ahead to the south, you will reach the rendezvous point.**_ "

Maybe the trouble was just beginning.

"So, the Autobots are outside the confines of their base. And sound otherwise engaged," Slipstream hummed at the new information.

"Which means they will never see us coming," Starscream nodded in agreement. He turned around, finding the Vehicons waiting for their leader's command, "Find them and scrap them!"

"Yes, Lord Starscream."

Slipstream and Starscream exchanged a look. With their enemies otherwise busy doing whatever the 'good' Autobots do to help and protect their planet, the advantage of surprise was right on their side.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

After we had gotten rid of most of the vehicles that were following us under 'Silas' watchful eye of flying around the helicopter, we continued along the road, letting direct us while keeping an optic out on the rendezvous point Ratchet had and I were leading Optimus and Agent Fowler with Bulkhead, Starlight and Arcee at the back keeping the green and black-stripped vehicles behind us at bay. Arcee had leaped out to attack when the men working for the man in the helicopter began attacking my leader's trailer.

Yeah, that was their mistake.

As we twisted through the turns and bends of the road, a train began racing beside us. As we approached two tunnels, one for us on the road and one for the train below, Agent Fowler quickly pointed out the approaching drive-through caves.

" _ **There's the destination point.**_ "

" _ **Autobots, keep a tight formation,**_ " Optimus instructed.

We began initiating phase two of the mission when I swerved as close to the left as I could. I swerved back to the right and leaped up over the protective railing separating us from the train tracks below. I could see Arcee and Starlight doing the same thing in my mirror. We landed on the ground beside the train while Bumblebee, Optimus with Fowler and the DINGUS, and Bulkhead followed in between us when they were able to slide down the small cliff between the road and the train tracks. We quickly approached the train tunnel before us.

As we had first suspected, the green and black-striped vehicles followed us, probably intent on following us in - good luck with that. Once we had driven in a few hundred feet in, I saw Bulkhead transform, briefly active his blasters to shoot the tunnel entrance behind us and transform back into his vehicle form. The tunnel entrance collapsed just in front of the green and black-striped vehicles, stopping them from following us.

Bumblebee and I fell back to drive behind Optimus as we began the next part of phase two. 'Bee transformed and began racing beside the train, leaping onto one of the carriages the train was carrying and knocking on the door to the crate.

The door slid open, revealing a dark-skinned man in green army gear. He looked up at Bumblebee, who greeted him with a friendly wave. Optimus' trailer came apart, revealing Arcee and Starlight with the DINGUS in their servos. They lifted up the device to the now transformed Bulkhead, who passed it one-handedly to Bumblebee. He grabbed the DINGUS off Bulkhead's servo and placed it gently into the carriage with the army man.

"The DINGUS is secure, Optimus."

Now, I may had just sat there and did nothing. But I did something important. I monitored the progress and made sure none of the team made any errors in completing this important task. Then I radioed Optimus to give him the good news, having been too focused on the train and the road to keep an optic out behind him.

If Silas thought any less of us before, then he may have to think again when he realises too late where the DINGUS is.

* * *

 **NO ONE P.O.V**

"Tactical error," Silas noted in disbelief when his enemies carrying the DINGUS destroyed the tunnel's entrance, "Only one way out."

Flying over the rock formation to the other side of the tunnel, Silas watched the train reappear with the non-human vehicles. The vehicles almost immediately turned left, driving up the cliff and back onto the road beside the train tracks.

If only he realised how smart his enemies were.

Before they could begin to fly downwards, an unfamiliar jet flew into view on his left. Another one appeared on his right. Then one popped up in front of him. And then there were three more flying behind him! Silas looked in disbelief, taking in their purple and black body shapes. He had never seen any of them before.

Maybe they were linked to his enemies below.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Now safely back on the road and away from those nasty green and black-stripped vehicles I knew would probably haunt me in my dreams tonight, we continued our journey with the train racing beside us.

The sound of jets flying at rapid speeds started to roar in my audios. I flicked my mirror up, finding six jets flying past the helicopter at alarming speeds.

" _ **Air support?**_ _ **Ours or theirs?**_ "

" _ **Optimus, you've got company,**_ " Ratchet warned over the commlink from base.

So if Ratchet could pick up the jets' signals and not Silas', then that could only mean one thing...

The Decepticons were here to spoil our road trip.

The jets lined up in formation high above, immediately firing missiles. They flew out of formation as their shots began their descent on us.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Silas was in more disbelief, watching the missiles shot from the purple and black jets head towards the three motorcycles, the off-terrain vehicle, the Urbana 500 and the truck and trailer carrying the Agent in known as William Fowler travelling below them.

"Military fire on one of their own?!"

Maybe his newfound enemies had enemies of their own...

They watched the missiles travel in all different directions towards the vehicles. As they skidded around in an attempt to avoid the projectiles, the trailer, already loose because of their men's work, broke off the truck semi. And without the semi, the trailer couldn't go anywhere

"Sir, the DINGUS!" The pilot yelled.

With the trailer just resting in its' spot, the missiles found an easy target, hitting the still trailer and exploding in orange flames and black smoke.

Silas and the pilot watched as their only hope of being able to stay ahead of the technology exploded before their eyes. But then, the pilot noticed something about the explosion. Something that was very vital within the DINGUS.

"Sir, I'm not reading any radiation. The DINGUS didn't meltdown."

Silas nodded, searching for the whereabouts of his enemies,"No. It did not."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The six of us drove to a clearing in the forest, escaping the Decepticon missiles that had threatened to hit us. We all managed to miss the projectiles, but we lost Optimus' trailer in the process. The DINGUS was safe elsewhere. No matter.

The Decepticons behind us were the matter now.

We skidded to a stop at the edge of the plateau, spinning around just in time to see our Decepticon enemies land, ready to do battle.

"Agent Fowler, I'm afraid that if you and we are to survive, it has become absolutely necessary to drop our cover."

At the announcement, Optimus began transforming, and, one by one, we followed suit. I briefly glanced over at Fowler, who looked a bit unwell in Optimus' servo after our leader transformed with him in the cabin. We looked at the Decepticons, standing immediately into a defensive position in front of our leader and our Agent.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Flying over the plateau was Silas and his pilot in the helicopter. They couldn't believe the sight before them. Two groups of robots were standing and facing each other as if they were going to do battle. Robots. Robots! He had heard the rumours, he heard whispers through the grapevine about the stories of people having seen robots larger than themselves fighting one another. He heard all the tales.

But he didn't think of them to be true!

And now, he was starring down at them, the proof clear in his vision.

"So the rumours are true. Living technology stands before us. Though perhaps not for very long."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Optimus lifted Agent Fowler onto a rock ledge higher than himself, making sure that our Agent was safe from harm before we began our fight.

"Remain here."

"Will do," Fowler nodded without argument.

Bulkhead looked excited at the sight of the Decepticon drones, walking up slowly with us trailing behind him, "After a long road trip, it feels good to get out of the car, stretch my legs and kick some tailpipe." He punched his fists together to prove his point.

Activating his wrecking ball weapon, Bulkhead charged ahead, leading us quickly to the upcoming battle between us and the Decepticons. Seeing us coming towards them, the Decepticon drones quickly began charging towards us.

While everyone else just went straight in for the kill, Optimus punching a Vehicon, Bulkhead knocking down another with his activated weapon, Bumblebee and Arcee using melee combat and Starlight swinging her knives, I was just blasting shots to a 'Con who was afraid to take a step near me.

So, you've heard of me, huh? I hope Slipstream tells good stories of me on the Warship.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Silas watched the battle below with his arms crossed. He was seriously watching robots fighting robots, watching every move they pulled, watching how they reacted when one of their enemies got a hit of them, watching how easily they were defeating their enemies.

But the pilot beside him wasn't too concerned about the fact that down below, living technology were battling each other. He was more concerned about the reason why they were trailing their enemies in the first place, "Sir, if the DINGUS wasn't in the truck.."

"Yes, that," Silas immediately cut off his pilot, looking over at him. He reached down to the radio, pressing a button to contact the man he had spoken to during the trip, "Special Agent Fowler, _**you lead a charmed life walking among titans.**_ "

At the sound of his new enemy radioing to him, Agent Fowler uncrossed his arms and reached for the radio on his side. He brought it up to his face, looking up at the helicopter circling the scene, "Come on down. I'll introduce you."

"In good time," Silas declined the offer, looking down at his monitor where he was following a purple dot that had lit up on the screen, "But right now, I'm too busy wondering how the DINGUS might have vanished into thin air. Without a trace."

That was when Agent Fowler recalled what occurred in the train tunnel when Bulkhead had closed off the entrance behind them. When Starlight and Arcee passed the DINGUS to Bulkhead. When Bumblebee placed the DINGUS carefully and safely into the train without a hitch.

Without Silas' knowledge.

So if he was radioing in about the DINGUS' whereabouts now, did that mean...?

" _ **Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a train to catch.**_ "

Agent Fowler raised his eyebrows in disbelief. Silas knew? How in Sam's Shorts did he know? Hearing the helicopter close by, the Agent looked over his shoulder as the green aircraft blended into the trees, disappearing out of his line of sight.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

" _ **PRIME!**_ "

I nearly missed the Decepticon I was punching in the face when Agent Fowler's voice came over the main comm-link. I was surprised that Optimus had left the line open, but considering what's occurred over the last few moments, I really wasn't that surprised to be honest.

" _ **Silas got wise to phase two!**_ "

What?! But how?! We were under cover with that tunnel. Surely Silas couldn't have been able to penetrate the tunnel's walls and manage to tra-

Unless the DINGUS has a signal so strong, Silas was able to track it.

Oh fragging scrap!

"I understand!" Optimus responded.

But then something happened. I don't know why, or how, or what, but the next thing I knew, I could hear Agent Fowler yelling desperately to the radio that was connected up the main line.

" _ **PRIME! Do you read me? PRIME!**_ "

What happened to Optimus?!

Now with only the five of us left to fight the Vehicons, whom, might I add, have suddenly decided that they weren't going to fall down without a fight today, the 'COns began charging towards us. We leaped into position, Arcee and Starlight leaping away from Bulkhead and Bumblebee. I stood in the middle of the boys, ready to continue this fight.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

It wasn't long before Autobot base realised that something was wrong. There were only five Autobot signals leaping around on the monitor while they fought the Decepticon signals. Immediately, Ratchet had gone to work to figure out what one of the signals was missing, the revelation popping up on the small computer screens in front the humans.

"Optimus is down!" Miko cried.

Carly gripped the back of her younger brother's chair in panic, "And if we don't do something, MECH's gonna grab the DINGUS!"

"We need to think of something quick!" Jack decided, taking the girl's advice.

"You mean like a phase three?" Raf suggested, looking up at the older boy.

"Okay. Come on, think!" The eldest human yelled to himself, "Alright. If MECH wants the DINGUS, they have to get on that train."

"What if we get on first?" The girl punched the air in front of her, "You know, run some human-on-human interference?!"

Sunburst knew right away that Miko's suggestion was a bad one. She wanted herself, Jack, Carly and Raf to leap onto a MOVING vehicle via the Groundbridge?! Was this girl serious?! Doing that could bring harm or worse to the humans! And that wouldn't sit well with their guardians. Over the weeks that he had been at Autobot base, he had seen how close each of the humans were with their Autobot friends and how much they cared about the other's well-being. If he, Aquastrike and Ratchet allowed the humans to go on that train and not come back in one piece, the Autobots would have each of their sparks on a silver platter!

"Absolutely not! Your guardians out there would have our sparks if you guys went on that train and not come home yourselves!"

Aquastrike visibly shuddered beside Sunburst. She was not going to allow the humans that opportunity to go out there and get themselves killed. She didn't want to let the team down only a fortnight after arriving to Earth. No way in Kaon was she going to allow that to happen!

Jack immediately nodded in agreement of the yellow Autobot, "Yeah. That would be suicide." He narrowed his eyes at the Japanese exchange student with disbelief.

"Hello! The United States of Meltdown! Lives are at stake!"

"Yeah, yours!" Aquastrike yelled at the girl.

"I hate to say this, and Miko's never gonna let me down for this-" When said girl smiled in glee, knowing what her friend was going to say, Carly looked back at Jack and Ratchet, "But Miko's right! Lives are on the line! Our friend's lives!"

"You want me to not only bridge you into a confined space, but one travelling at 90 miles per hour?" Ratchet immediately joined the argument, looking at the girls in disbelief, "I can't even count the number of ways that could go wrong! Mass displacement trauma! Twisted limbs! Metal burn!"

The medic instantly earned himself weird and worried looks from the four humans the moment the words left his mouth. That's when he realised that the last one wouldn't affect the humans.

"Maybe not the last one," Sunburst shrugged carefully, patting the medic on the shoulder.

"Regardless, it is nearly impossible to fix Groundbridge coordinates on something moving at that speed!" Ratchet argued.

Raf was quickly typing commands on the keyboard. He knew that his sister and her best friend were right. They had to get on that train. All he was doing was just trying to find something to help the verbal war between Carly and Miko and Jack, Ratchet, Aquastrike and Sunburst be settled with. Soon he quickly found something that could help back up Carly and Miko's side of the argument, "Would it help if we had access to the train's coordinates?"

The team looked up at the monitor ahead. The five blue Autobot signals shone brightly in one corner of the monitor. But that wasn't what Raf was meaning. His talking was about the flashing yellow signal heading down a line going diagonally across the screen - it was the train the Autobots had placed the DINGUS in.

Ratchet raised an eyebrow and hummed, "Well…."

Carly smirked, rubbing her brother's hair fondly, "That's my brother."

* * *

The green army soldier stood inside the carriage, guarding the DINGUS that he was provided with by his boss Agent Fowler and the Autonomous Robotic Organisms he worked with. He needed to make sure the device was safely transported to not let his boss down. He liked his job and wasn't going to allow anyone to take it off him.

If only he could see what was going on above him.

Outside the train, a familiar navy green helicopter began nearing the speeding vehicle. Glancing down at the train briefly, Silas looked at his pilot, "Immobilize them."

The pilot did what he was told, firing a shot from his weapon down to the train. The bullet targeted the front of the train, latching onto the front of rapidly moving vehicle. Electricity suddenly cackled from the bullet, spreading around the train. This was no ordinary shot that was fired. It was an immobilising bullet. A bullet that was quickly doing it's job.

The electricity sparked along the floor, quickly getting into the guarding soldier's nervous systems and knocking him unconscious onto the floor. With that job taken care of, the helicopter outside began it's descent downwards...

A blue and green portal suddenly appeared in thin air. Immediately jumping through it were two humans; a pair of sixteen year old school children. One with raven-black hair and one with light-brown hair.

Jack held up his phone, confirming the success of the first part of the plan when the portal closed, "We're in."

" _ **I read you, Jack. The cell phone com-link patch works!**_ " Raf cheered with confirmation.

Looking over at the train carriage door, Carly exchanged a knowing look with Jack. The two wandered over and, with a combination of both their strengths, managed to slide the door open. The two peeked out of it, looking up at the fast approaching army green helicopter.

"Raf, MECH's landing on top of the train," Jack warned.

* * *

At the news, Raf quickly went to work on his laptop with Miko looking over his shoulder, watching the train's signal move rapidly towards a fork in the tracks, splitting into two different directions.

"In about 20 seconds, you're gonna come up to a fork," Raf warned, looking up at the monitor, "Brace yourselves!"

* * *

As the helicopter above edged lower and lower, the fork in the tracks that Raf had warned about was coming closer and closer. Carly and Jack watched the aircraft gently kiss the top of the carriage they were in, preparing to land. After more typing from Raf back in the safety of Autobot base, he was able to hack into the commands and make the train change its' course, turning it to the right suddenly.

Sparks flying, the bottom of the helicopter scraped the top of the train at the sudden turn, losing control quickly and nearly flying into the rock formations surrounding them. But it obviously wasn't the first time someone has tried to outsmart this pilot, using his flying skills to good use and being able to regain control of the aircraft before the collision.

* * *

Silas spun around to his pilot with a stunned and frustrated expression, "What happened?"

"Hacker," the pilot answered simply. Looking at his keypad, he pressed a button before turning back to his boss, "Former hacker."

* * *

The tracking map of the train on the monitor and the laptop suddenly disappeared, and was replaced by a bomb with an orange background. The bomb's fuse was lit, and was slowly ticking down above the crossed bones...

"What the?" Miko looked up in confusion.

"What?" That was all Raf got to say before the bomb exploded on the screens. His laptop sparked with electricity, smoke rising from the keyboard. The humans yelped at the sudden and small explosion, "Woah!"

"And what have I been saying all along about earth technology?" Ratchet asked smartly.

Sunburst smacked his hand against his forehead, "We have bigger things to worry about Ratchet!"

* * *

The helicopter flew back towards the train carriage for a second attempt, this time landing successfully without the interruption of any hackers. Seeing the helicopter land, Jack and Carly looked back into the train just in time to find orange sparks falling from the roof. It was being cut open.

The helicopter landed on top of the train carriage once again. The pair looked up where they saw a cackling, sparking laser cutting the roof open to allow access to MECH.

"So what'd that buy us? Ten seconds!?" Jack guessed nervously with a glance at his friend.

The girl let out a panicked sigh, "Come on Raf, what's going on over there?"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I swung my leg around just in time to knock down a 'Con who decided today he was not going to give up unlike his predessors have done. With him down, I looked at my teammates

Bulkhead threw three Decepticons off of him with a warrior cry. Two of them quickly came charging back, forcing Arcee and Starlight to shoot them down. But Arcee only managed to get one shot to hit one of them, Starlight barely missing the second one and having to raise her knife to charge towards it. Bumblebee began another attack one more 'Cons

I briefly glanced at Agent Fowler before going in to help my team, who was looking around like he was searching for someone.

Wait! Where's Optimus?!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

After taking a moment to catch his energy, Optimus lifted his head off the rock cliff, groaning and trying to remember what had happened before he had been hit in the head by a Decepticon carrying a log. Looking up, his optics immediately caught sight of the train that was carrying the DINGUS they had been transporting most of the day.

But when he spotted something on the vehicle, he quickly zoomed in his optics to try to figure out what it was. It was a helicopter. The same one that had Silas in it, who Agent Fowler spoke to when discussing the DINGUS. The Prime sat up, his optics widening in realisation.

Silas knew where the DINGUS was. And he was going after it.

* * *

Jack and Carly watched as the hole that was being made in the roof was nearing completion, the sparks flying from where the drill above was nearing one of the lines that had already been drilled.

The girl looked behind her and immediately found a weapon that could help her - an axe. She picked it off its' hooks, turned and readyed herself to face whoever was going to appear through the roof. Jack looked at her, noticing the axe and nearly gave himself a heart attack in fright.

This girl just kept surprising him every single day.

Spotting a familiar weapon, Jack grabbed the fire extinguisher resting on the hooks beside him, also preparing himself to attack.

The Pentagon-shaped drilled piece of the roof fell to the ground, revealing three black-suited men with goggles looking down at the two teenagers.

"Come at us, boys! I dare ya!" Carly challenged, swinging the axe back and forth like she knew how to wield such a weapon.

Jack had to dodge one of the swings before holding up his fire extinguisher, "What she said!"

Meanwhile, in the landed helicopter, Silas and the pilot watched their men stand in front of the hole that they had created. But something quickly grabbed the pilot's eye, quickly warning his boss, "Sir!"

Silas looked out his window, spotting the familiar red, blue and tall robot he had seen transform out of his truck semi form to fight purple and black robots racing along the ledge of the rock formation behind them. He transformed back into his familiar truck semi, immediately gaining speed on the train.

Silas knew that this time, he wasn't going to get away with the DINGUS for what was the third attempt of stealing it. He instantly looked back to his pilot, pointing upwards, "Retreat!"

The men followed the order, rushing back into the helicopter before it took off, flying out of the eyes of Jack and Carly. They looked up in confusion. What was going on?

Dropping their weapons, the pair peeked around the corner of the open carriage towards the front of the train. Carly looped her arms around the boys, "Whoa... You're pretty fierce."

Jack looked at her, unable to answer, only letting his cheeks warm up at compliment.

But just because the battle was nearly over, it didn't mean that anything else was.

"First rule of combat: never leave the enemy with the spoils," Silas remarked, lifting up a weapon of his own. Leaning out the window of the aircraft, Silas aimed his weapon and when he was ready, he fired.

The missile whizzed past the train, destroying the tracks the train was rapidly approaching. Seeing smoke float up into view, Jack and Carly gasped in fright, the latter leaning her head against the boys shoulder. The two glanced at the helicopter disappearing into the distance.

"Ratchet, MECH has blown the train tracks!" Jack yelled into his phone, "You need to bridge us out of here! The soldiers too!"

Back at Autobot Outpost Omega One, Raf was desperately trying to fix up his laptop to help his friends, the leftovers of the exploding bomb that had made the team lose the train's co-ordinates still flashing reds and yellows and whites in the background.

"We've lost access to the train data!" Ratchet announced to them, "I can't bridge you back without coordinates!"

Jack and Carly exchanged a look in panic, the latter's grip on the boys arm tightening.

Meanwhile, the red and blue truck semi form continued racing after the train when his old friend and medic commed him, " _ **Optimus! Jack and Carly are on that train and MECH has blown the train tracks!**_ "

"I'm on my way!" Optimus immediately responded, instantly picking up speed to reach the train to save his young friends, "Maximum overdrive!"

Carly looked at the ground flashing past her, eyeing it up carefully before sparing a look at Jack, "Maybe we should jump?!"

"At 90 miles an hour?" He exclaimed in disbelief.

"Impact or meltdown!" Carly screamed at him, "Make your choice!"

Jack sighed in frustration, "What were we thinking volunteering for this?"

"Well maybe next time instead of just letting the argument go, continue fighting against us!" Carly yelled at him, shying away from him slightly, "You're good at talking around people!"

"Next time," Jack sighed, looking down as if to say, 'There won't be a next time'. He allowed himself to stand there in defeat, knowing that there was no way of turning back.

"If only we were at the back of the train," Carly hummed, looking out of the carriage, "We'd get an extra few seconds if we were!"

"Carly." The brown-haired girl looked down at her wrist, watching Jack's hand wrap around her lower arm comfortingly. She looked up at him, his dark eyes looking deeply into hers. "At least we're in this together."

Eyes softening, Carly cocked her head to the side, leaning towards him, "At least you're the one I'm stuck with."

The boy couldn't help but allow small and faint blush wash over his cheeks at Carly's comment, smiling a little at the girl despite the current situation they were.

Carly looked down at their now joined hands, surprised to find that Jack's hand had now slipped into hers. She smiled gently; she felt surprisingly happy and content. If this was going to be the last person she was going to ever be around, then Jack wasn't a bad option. Her eyes drifted to Jack's other hand, wanting to grab it with for that extra comfort. But he was still holding something.

His phone!

Snatching it off him with her free hand, Carly immediately spoke into it, "Miko, this is important! Tell Windswept that I left a small gift for her in her berthroom! Raf, I love you little bro."

Looking back out the carriage the humans saw the explosion sight get closer and closer. Each passing second was bringing them closer to their impending deaths...

That was until they saw the semi truck form of Optimus Prime whizz past them.

Smirking, Jack turn to Carly, "Don't read the will just yet!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Bulkhead pounded over the last of the Decepticon drones with his other wrecking ball, sending them towards the ground. Now with the drones all destroyed, we relaxed immediately. Bulkhead slapped his hands while the rest of us deactivated our weapons.

I finally got my chance to look around for our leader properly now with no distractions racing towards me. But it was surprising to not find him in sight at all.

Where was he?

At least I wasn't the only one concerned for our leader.

"Where's Optimus?" Arcee asked

"He had a train to catch," Fowler answered, looking back over at something in the distance.

Arcee and I exchanged a shrug before I commed to base, "Windswept to base, can you give us Optimus' location please?"

" _ **Optimus has gone to stop the train...**_ " Sunburst trailed off over the main comm-link, " _ **...'Swept, Jack and Carly are on that train. They went to go stop MECH, but they deactivated all the systems before they got on!**_ "

What? Carly and Jack were on that train?! Was he serious?!

Arcee and I snapped into the comm-link, "They're WHERE?!"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

As soon as Optimus was close enough to reach the head of the speeding train, he transformed into his Cybertronian form and raced a few steps ahead. He grabbed a hold of the front cart and immediately dug his feet into the ground to slow the fast-moving train to a halt. The destroyed section of the train tracks was approaching faster and faster ahead. The Prime groaned out a warrior cry, using all of the strength that he had to stop the train from reaching the destroy section of the tracks.

Jack grabbed the edge of the doorway to the carriage tightly in an attempt to stop himself from falling over. But it was difficult when his other hand was still gripping Carly's tightly, refusing to let her go as she held onto the other edge of the doorway while the train began starting to slow to a halt.

Optimus was able to halt the train just as it was about to slip off its' tracks, his strength being enough to stop it from falling. Standing to full height, he walked down to the open carriage where Jack and Carly were waving at him, silently thanking him for saving their lives.

Looking down and realising that their hands were still joined, the pair quickly pulled their hands away from each other. Jack rubbed the back of his head with a shrug while Carly giggled, turning her head away to hide the red blush creeping onto her face.

Hearing the familiar sound of a helicopter, Optimus looked up at the aircraft that had been trailing him and his team nearly the entire mission. His eyes narrowed at the sight. This man had nearly injured and killed half his team today. What more did he want now?

"Well-played, visitor," Silas praised, processing the information that he had gained over the day, "But MECH still has home field advantage and we will find a way to level that playing field." The monitor began to do a quick scan of the red and ball robot below him, "Even if we have to open you up to see what makes you tick." Completing the scan, the helicopter flew away.

Silas' team had much to do before they would next run into their new competitors.

" _ **Optimus, are you and the children…intact?**_ "

Looking down at the teenagers, who were watching the retreating helicopter with interest, he nodded, "Intact, Ratchet."

"Hey!" Carly cheered, slapping Jack lightly on his arm to gain his attention.

"What the?!" Jack immediately asked, wondering why he got the slap on his limb.

The girl grinned as she held up her hand, exchanging a high-five with him. She quietly giggled to herself as Jack shook his hand in pain from the high-five, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Crisis adverted. But the world we live in is a different one then previously imagined. One that has spawned its own Decepticons in human skin."

Now if only the humans were aware of the fact that the hole created by their new enemies wasn't as large as they had first thought...

* * *

I've spent all day heavily editing and rewriting this chapter. So is it a day wasted or a day well spent?

I suppose I'll find out the answer if anyone follows/favourites/reviews...

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 11/07/2019** )


	11. Chpt 11: Deus Ex Machina

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

It's been a wee while since this story was updated. I deeply apologise (that it's all I seem to do) for not updating when I say I do. My motivation completely disappeared over Christmas and I'm not going to lie but I've been a little depressed over how things were working out about a few months. Things turned around about over 2 months ago when I did a work experience course at a place which ended up offering me part time work, and since then I've been crazy busy training and everything.

I've done lots of editing throughout all the past chapters of this - some chapters got a lot of work put into them. I'd recommend maybe going through a reread of a couple of them just keep you updated. You'll be able to tell when a chapter was updated by the little bolded date marked at the bottom of each chapter. It was a while ago when those chapters were updated but I'm hoping to continously update them if I find a spelling or grammer error.

Thank you to MadnessInTheBanquet and IlianaPrime for following and favouriting, as well as draco1221 for favouriting, this story. And to everyone else who's still sticking by me despite the lack of progress. We will get there guys!

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept and the other OC's belong to me.

(Chapter Title: Greek Autobots and Family Ties)

* * *

School was over. But for some, their day at Jasper High was yet to conclude. A range of students were still hanging around for a variety of reasons. Sports practice, school performances, and maybe a parent-teacher conference about a student's behaviour at school. But there was still one more reason as to why some students hadn't left school. One that everybody hated with a passion.

Detention meant two things: a) the action of detaining someone or the state of being detained in official custody. b) the punishment of being kept in school after hours.

The second one suited much better in this case.

Sitting at the front of the class with their World History textbook was Miko Nakadai. attempting to fill her brain with everything about, or related to, Ancient Greece. It was so she could write an essay about it. Yet, she was unable to bring herself to do it, the main reason being simply because she didn't want to.

Who wants to read about Ancient Greece anyway? Boring!

Miko laid the book down on the desk and crossed her arms, "Detention." With a sigh of boredom to go with her grumble, the Japanese exchange student rested her head on her folded arms, just waiting for the time to go by so she could get out to her friends outside of Jasper.

The sound of screeching tires and loud heavy metal music seeped into her ears. Looking out the window nearby, her face lit up with glee at the green off-terrain vehicle pulling up just outside the school.

There was no denying the fact that ever since Bulkhead became Miko's guardian, they were slowly becoming closer and closer. They had clicked from day one due to their passion for heavy metal music, the thrill of action, and the love they had for their friends. But he wasn't the only one she had a special bond with - she was also growing a friendship with the aqua blue Autobot known as Aquastrike. Just like Bulkhead and Miko, she had a passion for heavy metal music, loved the thrill of action, and loved her friends, both new and old.

It was fair to say that Miko was definitely enjoying her exchange programme.

She spared a glance at the detention teacher reading The Jasper Daily newspaper, and decided to make her move.

Bulkhead had arrived at the school later than normal, knowing his charge well enough to know she was in detention. So while he hummed to the heavy metal music playing on his radio, he waited patiently for his charge...who jumped into the passenger seat a little earlier than expected.

"I LOVE THIS SONG!"

"Miko, I thought you had a history report to do. Did detention end early?" Bulkhead turned down the music to ask.

Miko clicked her seat belt, "It did for me." She rested into the seat lazily, waiting for her charge to drive away. However, a quick glance in the rearview mirror had her scrambling. "Oh oh, here comes teacher. And she doesn't look happy." A look out the window had her in a panic, sitting lower in her seat, "Step on it Bulkhead!"

"Aw, Miko!"

Still, Bulkhead changed gears and pulled away from the school with his tires squealing, nearly drifting around the corner as the two began to make their way to Autobot base.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"...So after I met up with Wheeljack and told him how I knew Bulkhead and Aquastrike, he allowed me to hitch a ride."

Since Arcee was on patrol, Bumblebee at the school waiting to pick Raf up from his extra studies, and with Ratchet sending Optimus and Starlight on a scouting mission somewhere on the other side of the country, the remaining group of us were listening to a story about how Sunburst came to know Wheeljack and how Aquastrike was able to escape Cybertron. I was sitting on a large crate with Jack and Carly beside me and Aquastrike with her lazily crossed legs on the ground. Sunburst was standing before us, using servo movements to help explain his story.

When Cybertron's core began to die, the Wreckers began splitting apart and joining other teams to escape with. Sunburst didn't know many Autobots apart from me and the others back at Iacon, and the small group of Wreckers that were left on that team. He attempted to get back to Iacon, but we had all apparently left when he got there.

I wouldn't know, I was knocked unconscious before I could leave in my escape pod.

So Sunburst was left behind on Cybertron and was scouting for any others who were also there when Wheeljack arrived after picking up his signal. To gain his trust, Sunburst had to talk about how he knew Bulkhead and Wheeljack's sister Aquastrike. With some difficulty, he managed to convince him that he wasn't a Decepticon in Autobot armour and they both fled Cybertron.

"It was about ten or so, in human terms, years later before another signal flashed on our server back on Cybertron," Sunburst continued.

"That's where I come in!" Aquastrike excitedly exclaimed, raising her servo like a youngling attempting to answer the teacher's question correctly in school. She jumped up, "T'ere was no way in Kaon dat I was joinin' Prime's team when t'ere were still lone 'Con's scoutin' 'round Cybertron. I decided on stickin' around. Now, I hadn't found much durin' the years I was spendin' t'ere, just the lil' creepy crawly hangin' round 'ere 'nd there. But then, outta nowhere, dis massive Insecticon jumped me. I was low on Energon so at dis' point I was 'n trouble 'nd I didn' have the strength to fight the lil' scrap."

"Thankfully, we picked up Aquastrike's signal when we did," Sunburst sighed in sarcastic relief, patting his friend on the shoulder, "She was almost offline when we reached her."

Aquastrike smiled at him, mirroring his action, but harder, nearly sending him falling forwards, "Awwww, but ol' Sunshine and Jackie weren't gon' let me fall victim to that lil' hunk-a-scrap. When they came on to the scene and knocked down the vermin long enough to drag ourselves to the Jackhammer, Jackie gave him a lil' goodbye pressie."

Sunburst crossed his arms with a chuckle, "An exploding goodbye present, I might add."

"So, you guys flew around in the same ship for ages and ages?" Carly questioned in disbelief, "How did you guys manage to _not_ kill each other?!"

I told Carly multiple stories I heard the team mention about how a few Autobots were unable to stand each other on the same flight and had proceeded to fight each other as a result. It was a common thing to occur, but this was a more likely occurrence on the Decepticon side...

Not many of the Decepticons get along very well over there...

"We hardly spoke to each other after the first few days of being locked together in the same ship. We just went about business, taking shifts over who would fly the ship, shared out the Energon as little as we could so we didn't run out and sometimes we just sat there in total silence and peace," Sunburst explained fondly, a small smile appearing on his face, "I just always knew that one day, we would find someone."

"Ol' Sunshine, the realist," Aquastrike mumbled, rolling her optics affectionately.

After a teasing glare asking Aquastrike to be quiet, Sunburst turned towards me with a familiar soft smile, "I just didn't expect to be reunited with my sister figure, and a few old friends as well as joining a whole new team."

"What's that word again?"

Our audio receptors picked up on the familiar voice and engine driving into the entry tunnel. Bulkhead must be arriving back after picking Miko up from her after school detention.

"Odd," Carly muttered below me, checking her phone, "Detention wouldn't have finished 'till about five minutes ago."

Bulkhead pulled up near the controls Ratchet was working at as Miko answered his question, "Uhhh, college?"

Miko leaped out and looked at Bulkhead's vehicle form in frustration, "Ugh, you sound just like my parents!"

Bulkhead transformed, giving Miko a nervous look, "Aren't they Japanese?"

"They may speak a different language. But you say the same things!" Miko retorted, walking away to join the group of us.

"Sounds like Bulkhead and ya paren's just want what's best for ya, Miko," Aquastrike piped into the little argument. When Miko looked over her shoulder at the aqua blue femme with a glare that said 'not-helping', Aquastrike waved her hands up defensively, taking a step back.

"Aquastrike's right, Miko. That means making sure you go to school! Not jail!"

"Uh-oh. What'd you do?" Jack and Carly asked teasingly when Sunburst picked them up and on the platforms near Ratchet.

"Look Miko," Bulkhead began, bending down to block her view of Jack and Carly, "Before I became a warrior, I was a labourer – construction. I can build stuff. I can break stuff. And that's it!"

Miko looked to be considering the words he had said. Then she nearly jumped up in glee, "I like breaking stuff! I wanna be just like you, Bulk!"

Bulkhead groaned as a small beeping sound began making its' way into our audio receptors. Aquastrike narrowed her optics at the monitor, already making her way over to stand behind Ratchet.

"Oh… Why do you wanna be like me when you can be a medic like Ratchet?" Bulkhead asked, pointing to the orange and white Autobot at the controls.

"I'm detecting a fresh Energon pulse from the nation called Greece," Ratchet announced instead of allowing Miko to respond to Bulkhead "An ancient city. Quite historic, I believe."

Aquastrike looked around at Bulkhead and Miko with a shrug. She smirked as she rested her hand on her hip, "Ancient Greece, huh? You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

Bulkhead mirrored the smirk, sing-songing excitedly to his charge, "Field trip!"

Need I ask what those two are planning?

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Thunder clapped. Lightning flashed. Dark clouds rolled over the Decepticon Warship know as the Nemesis. They did nothing to threaten the ship flying peacefully past the storm, not bothered by angriness of the thunder and lightning above. Two of the occupants in the warship weren't so bothered either, watching the lightning strike once more.

"I do not enjoy being kept waiting, Slipstream," Starscream muttered with a growl, "Where are they?"

"Patience Starscream. They will show," Slipstream replied, "They are old friends of mine, dear twin. They have never let me down, not even once before. Why would they start now?" Hearing the doors slide open at the end of the room, the aqua blue and purple Decepticon femme, looked over her shoulder slightly, "It's about time, old friend."

The red Decepticon that entered sighed peacefully, letting the doors slide shut behind him before speaking, "It was a long drive, Slipstream. I'm still picking bugs out of my grill." He picked off a bug from his chassis and flicked it away to prove his point.

Starscream turned to the new addition with disgust, "Yes, right. You're one of _those._ "

"Come again?" Knock Out asked in confusion, watching the silver and slightly red Decepticon wander up to him.

"Never understood why any self-respecting Decepticon would choose auto-mobile as his vehicle mode when he could have flight," Starscream hummed when he circled the new Decepticon.

"I like the way I look in steel-belted radium's," Knock Out confessed with a smirk.

Slipstream chuckled, walking up to her compatriots, "Dear friend, you have not changed."

Nothing more was said as the trio began their walk out of the main area of the Decepticon Warship and down the corridor to a room that the Decepticon twins had been visiting a lot more than normal the last few weeks.

"I take it Megatron needs a laboratory assist?" Knock Out asked innocently behind them.

"You…might say that," Starscream answered hesitantly, pressing a button to open the room before them

What greeted them surprised Knock Out. Resting before him on a medical berth was Megatron – THE Lord Megatron. His unconscious frame was scarred with marks and grey bruise patches from what was obviously from some kind of explosion. Multiple cables were connected to his chassis, the large gaping hole in his chest still present, and his torso, the only things keeping him alive.

The sight of his leader made Knock Out's optics widen. "Woah."

* * *

With the evening weather setting in at the Ancient city of Greece, a green and blue portal swirled to life suddenly. Two vehicles, an army green off-terrain vehicle and an aqua blue Ferrari 458 Italia drove out of the portal, the blues and greens fading away when the two vehicles had driven completely through and out of the portal.

"Here we are!" The off-terrain vehicle said.

Miko leaped out of her guardian's vehicle form, "Sweet!" As the two vehicles transformed into their Cybertronian forms known as Bulkhead and Aquastrike, the Japanese exchange student raced ahead to look at the ruins ahead of her, "So what are we doing in Wreck-O-Ville?"

Bulkhead brought out the scanner he was provided with and activated it, beeping almost instantly to let them know that what they were looking for wasn't too far away. He looked at Aquastrike with a small smirk, "We're scouting for Energon."

"You, lil' missy, are doin' research for a certain history report that you failed to complete," Aquastrike told the girl, "Which landed you into yer lil' after school activities."

Miko looked over her shoulder and pouted at the two Autobots, "You punk'd me, guys? NOT COOL!"

Ignoring his now frustrated charge, Bulkhead walked up to the edge of platform they were on, following the scanner, "Hmmm…signal's strong," He looked ahead at the orange construction vehicles resting near a dug up pit. "An excavation sight?"

"Woah…" Miko gasped, looking up at the two Autobots.

"I know construction," Bulkhead shrugged at her, looking around at the site before him, "According to my scanner, humans hit Energon veins."

Aquastrike smirked, "And they don' even know it."

The two former members of the Wreckers looked around, their optics almost immediately being caught by a mural of what was many humans of the past, surrounding one of the Greek Gods the humans of today were now well aware of. Spotting the Greek God in the middle of the mural, Aquastrike tried to guess who the Greek God was, having been taught some of Ancient History mostly by Carly and a little from Miko. But then something caught her optics.

Something was familiar in that mural. Something that she could understand.

"Woah..." Bulkhead gasped beside her, allowing her to take note that she wasn't the only one who spotted the familiar sight.

She zoomed her optics in at the sight of the mural, the deep blue orbs looking at the small and round object being held up by the Greek God.

"That's Cybertronian!"

* * *

"Sadly, our inevitably former lord Megatron has been like this for some time," Starscream hummed, looking at his leader and folding his arms behind his back, "But the crew took a vote, and it was decided that an expert might put him on the road to recovery."

"And not just any expert." The trio of Decepticons looked back to find Rebecca against the doorway on her hoverboard and smirking proudly, "But Slipstream's dear old expert friend." The seventeen-year-old human wandered into the room, joining Slipstream on the other side of the unconscious Megatron.

"I've done a lot of body work, Slipstream," Knock Out began, "But I'm better at breaking them then fixing them," He activated his drill briefly, spinning it around before folding it away. "It would help if I had my assistant."

"I summoned the pair of you. Where the heck in Kaon is he?" Slipstream asked, looking over her shoulder slightly with narrowed her optics.

"We were hot on a fresh Energon trail when you called, Slipstream," Knock Out answered, ignoring the annoyed look from his old friend, "Breakdown will show when he's through scouting it."

Slipstream lightly snorted, "He better."

"I remember being taught about this relic back on Cybertron briefly," Aquastrike hummed, her optics still locked on the small gold orb on the mural, "But it was so brief, I can' 'member what it was."

"It's an Energon Harvester," Bulkhead recognised, looking from his aqua blue friend to the mural with wonder, "But why would Ancient Greeks paint it?"

"You know what that round thing is?" Miko exclaimed, pulling her phone out of pocket, "You're smarter than you let on!" She instantly took a picture of the mural.

"But even dumber than he looks."

At the sound of mech's voice, the trio turned around. In the distance, they spotted a bulky blue and silvery-grey Cybertronian. Yellow eyes, orange face, blinker lights at the hips. It wasn't too difficult for the Autobots to recognise this Cybertronian, Bulkhead especially. After all, he had spent years and years during the War battling this Decepticon.

"Breakdown."

Breakdown chuckled, preparing himself to torment the Autobot, "Miss me?"

"Like rust in my undercarriage," Bulkhead retorted, holding his fist at the Decepticon.

"You know this lunkhead?" Miko asked, looking at the blue and silver-grey Cybertronian.

"We have a history," Bulkhead responded, not even sparing a glance at his charge.

"And you have a pet," Breakdown noticed with a shrug, reaching over to the pillar beside him, "Does it play catch?" Securing the pillar tightly in his servos, the mech held it over his shoulder before throwing it towards the human, "CATCH!"

Miko knew instantly that if she didn't do anything, then she would be crushed by the oncoming pillar. So she quickly began running to dodge it, however she wasn't running quick enough - either that or the pillar was flying through their at speeds she would never match. But before she was hit by the pillar, she was snatched off the ground as her savoir took the hit. Looking up, she realised her savoir was Aquastrike.

"Stay down!" Bulkhead yelled at the two.

Aquastrike nodded, transforming into her vehicle form and driving away from the scene with Miko onboard, using the dust that had floated into the air to cover her.

Bulkhead was unable to see Breakdown coming from the explosion of dust that had appeared when the pillar was destroyed. However, he was well aware of the fact that he was coming. But he was unable to prepare himself as the Decepticon charged at him, appearing through the dust suddenly and tackling Bulkhead.

Aquastrike was thankful that Miko was safe in her vehicle form. Otherwise, she would've been hit by a flying Bulkhead and Breakdown. Instead, the two watched as the Cybertronians flew over their heads towards the ground.

Gaining a grip on his enemy during flight, Breakdown bounced the Autobot on the ground before throwing him into the mural, the wall crumbling on impact. Breakdown landed a few feet away from the dust cloud that , waiting for his enemy to stand and face him. Groaning from the impact, Bulkhead slowly began to climb up when he spotted Breakdown waiting for him.

"Oops. Hope the pretty picture wasn't too important," Breakdown tormented, racing away and transforming into his army vehicle form, his attentions being needed elsewhere.

Aquastrike, now back into her Cybertronian form, and Miko quickly raced to their friend when Breakdown began driving away. While the teenage girl watched the retreating army vehicle, the aqua blue femme, held out her servo for Bulkhead to grab, wanting to help the mech who had been thrown into the mural, destroying it.

Bulkhead grabbed the servo, but only allowing the femme to pull him up until he was sitting. He took one look at the fading figure of his enemy and rubbed his head with a small groan, "Told you I'm good at breaking things."

"I'll always have your back, Bulk," Miko smiled at him, pulling out her phone. "Got us a picture of the picture." The Autobot looked at the open cellphone, seeing the mural on the wall before it was destroyed only seconds later.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

When Bulkhead and Aquastrike commed saying they had found something important enough for the whole team to see, Ratchet immediately contacted everyone to get them back to base. He even bridged Optimus and Starlight back from their scouting.

Now that the team was here, Miko had quickly given her phone to Carly for her to plug into her laptop and bring up an image onto the monitor for us to see. Starlight's optics had widened upon seeing the image almost straight away. I kept staring and staring at the painting, trying to figure it out what was on-

Wait a sec!... That orb in that Greek God's hand ... That's Cybertronian!

"It is indeed an Energon Harvester." Optimus looked down at the humans. "A tool created by the Ancients."

"It's used to remove raw Energon straight out of any nearby source," Starlight added with a hum. She earned a few odd looks at the small comment, "What? We didn't just go out on field missions and perform routine tasks while we were at Iacon! We learnt things too!"

That was true. Alpha Trion used to teach us all about the relics that were out there during the War for Cybertron. He taught us about both Autobot and Decepticon-made relics, who created them, how they were used and where they were. By that point during the war, however, many of our relics had already been sent to space in containment pods to hide throughout the galaxy... Except for this one. And possibly many more.

"Greek Gods knew Autobots?" Raf exclaimed in amazement, sharing looks with each other the teenagers.

"Not exactly, kid," Sunburst shook his head.

"The Ancients often used the art of a given era to conceal messages," Optimus corrected, looking back at the image, "This fresco was likely a signpost indicating a Harvester's location hidden somewhere on this planet."

"Uh Optimus?" Jack began, looking up at him, "If the harvester removes Energon from anything and you all have Energon pumping inside you…?"

"In Decepticon hands, the Harvester could be a devastating weapon," Optimus answered the trailed-off question.

Miko looked up at her guardian, "See? You were a genius to destroy that painting!"

"Miko's not wrong," Arcee agreed, "How can the 'Cons find the harvester without the fresco?"

"With high-speed Internet, of course," Carly answered simply, typing away on her laptop, "If you do an image search for "Greek God" and "golden orb," this pops up." She brought her laptop closer to our view, revealing one of those Greek God statues holding a hold orb.

"It's in a museum," Raf noticed, fidgeting with his red square-rimmed glasses.

Carly nodded eagerly, "In Jasper!"

We all looked at the small laptop screen in silence for a small moment. Was this really the Energon Harvester? If it was, we needed to do something about it before the Decepticons realised the same thing.

"That the real deal?" Arcee asked, looking up at Optimus.

I wasn't the only one thinking that if it was the real deal, now was the time to do something about it.

"Contact Agent Fowler."

Ratchet did as instructed, pulling out Fowler's contact details and immediately begin contacting our favourite Agent...

" _ **You've reached Special Agent William Fowler. I'm currently on an intensive training retreat and unavailable until Tuesday.**_ "

Damn.

"I hate talking to machines," Ratchet grumbled, looking over at us.

"Without Agent Fowler's direct aid, we are going to have to confiscate the harvester on our own," Optimus announced.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Jack immediately began protesting, "'Confiscate?' As in steal museum property?" He rested his forehead on his hand in disbelief.

What was the big deal? Did they NOT want us to grab the Energon Harvester while we know where it's located? The heck Jack?

"That sounds…" Raf paused for a moment as if he was trying to find the right word for the idea of stealing, "Illegal."

"It **is** illegal, Raf," Carly confirmed, crossing her arms.

"I do not wish to break human law. But once the Decepticons learn of the harvester's location, they will not hesitate to obtain it by any means necessary," Optimus explained the humans, "We must act covertly."

"We have no choice, guys," I told them simply, "We have to do this now."

"Okay, n-no offence, Optimus or Windswept. But covertly and giant robots don't really go well together," Jack began his argument, "Museums are public. A-And they have guards and security cameras."

"No problem!" Miko yelled at him, jumping to his side, "We're small enough to sneak in!"

"And we're not a government secret!" Carly reminded the boy on his other side.

I didn't have a problem with the idea of the humans going into the museum to grab the Harvester for us really. They do make some good points; they are small enough to sneak in, grab the Harvester and get out, and they aren't a government secret like we are. But still, if the Decepticons were to turn up whe-

No Windswept. No time to think about that. We got to keeping moving.

"Carly, Miko, I'm not sure that's wise," Bulkhead warned the girls.

"Bulkhead, at this point, I don't think we have any other options," I pointed out.

Optimus looked up at the screen with the Energon Harvester on it, "The longer we debate, the more time we give the Decepticons."

Time to move.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The Autobots weren't the only ones who were well aware of the Energon Harvester being on Earth. Breakdown was quick to let his Decepticon leaders know about it the second he realised what he had destroyed. And Soundwave was quick to confirm the find, almost immediately locating the true relic.

Breakdown nodded at the image in confidence, "Mmm-hmm. That's definitely it."

The black and dark pink Decepticon known as Moonlight looked from the image on Soundwave's visor to the recent arrivals known as Breakdown and Knock Out and finally to her leaders known as Starscream and Slipstream. "So what's the play?" She narrowed her optics at Slipstream, "Do we deal with Megatron's wellbeing or go after this thing?"

"Megatron's well-being will have to wait yet another day," Slipstream decided, a small smirk appearing on her faceplates as she turned to Starscream.

"It's harvest time…"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Night-time in Jasper used to be my favourite time of day. Before Cliffjumper's death - miss you buddy - and before we meet our human friends, I used to travel throughout Jasper in the middle of the night when I was on patrol. Sometimes I would pull up at one end of a street and, with no traffic in sight and the lights in every house off, I would rev up my engine and speed down the road, my engine screaming past every human house in a flash!

It was so fun to just let loose and let go of everything by speeding away from it all. Until one night I was speeding along the highway at full throttle... where a truck semi appeared in my vision. Because I was going too fast, I had to pull up quickly. But that was easier said then done and I ended up crashing through the barriers and down a banking.

It... wasn't so fun for the humans apparently. They were ringing up the local law enforcement every time I went past to let them know about the noise. Agent Fowler brought it to Optimus' attention that every time the police got a call up, it was at the same time that I was out on patrol. So Optimus had gone out one night to catch me in the act.

And thus, I was forced to switch to daytime patrol with Bumblebee. Suddenly, patrol wasn't so fun any more.

To actually be out here in the middle of the night, with the moon full, shining and everything, I was actually a bit more thankful than normal. Yeah, I do take my charge home sometimes late in the night, but Ratchet makes sure that I'm at the Esquivel house all night.

He doesn't keep things from our leader.

Speaking of, Optimus decided on Starlight and Aquastrike remaining at base for back-up. And for the obvious fact that it wouldn't be a good look having a bunch of vehicles and motorcycles all hanging around a simple museum.

We pulled into the drive-through entrance of the parking lot and quickly split up to maintain guard from all areas of the white building. I was guarding the entry and exit of the parking lot, guarding and making sure no one was coming in or out. From where I was, I could see Sunburst parked in the middle of the lot, and Optimus at the front of the museum.

" _ **Autobots, confirm position,**_ " Optimus requested over the main comm-link.

" _ **Westward ho.**_ "

" _ **I got east side.**_ "

" _ **South side covered.**_ "

" _ **Parking lot secure.**_ "

"Drive through entry exit all clear."

" _ **Maintain your guard,**_ " Optimus instructed, killing his engine and his headlights.

Let's get this over and done with.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

" _ **Jack, Carly, Miko, Rafael, I will have a clear view of you. Once you secure the harvester, I will contact Ratchet to bridge you back to base.**_ "

The four humans were waiting in the motorised scissor lift for the Groundbridge to open. Jack was waiting near the controls, Carly against the railing beside him, Miko cross-legged on the floor and Raf gripping the railing near them.

Ratchet switched on the Groundbridge, portal swirling to life as looked down at the humans, "Now since you'll bypass all points of entry, you won't have to worry about setting off the alarm. But take care to avoid any security guards."

* * *

The green and blue swirling portal appeared in the hallway of the museum where the motorised scissor lift appeared through it. When it swirled shut behind them, Jack pulled the scissor lift up at the end of the hallway. In front of them was life-sized dinosaur skeleton model, a Hawaiian rock statue, and a statue was of Poseidon, the God of sea, earthquakes, soil, storms and horses. In one hand he held up his triton and in his other, a gold, round orb - the Energon Harvester

"Opa!" Miko whisper-cheered.

Outside, the truck-semi of Optimus Prime flashed his headlights at the humans, giving them the all clear. Jack nodded, before pressing a button on the control pad, the lift moving up to the security camera guarding the museum from above.

Miko flipped her phone open once their were in the security camera's reach. She turned her phone upside down, taking a picture of the God and the orb he held. After pressing a few buttons, the girl placed her phone on the security camera, making sure that top screen of the flip phone was showing the photo the right way on the camera. This was to make sure that the security guard looking over the video footage of the entire museum wouldn't suspect a thing.

If only he was paying attention properly instead of reading the newspaper.

With that task complete, and a thumbs up from Miko, Jack directed the scissor lift to the statue holding the Energon Harvester.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Everything was going smoothly. The humans were in the museum and well into their mission of getting the relic out of the building. So with no problems currently going on, I sat back in my vehicle form, guarding the entrance but allowing myself to rest as a result...

The sounds of car engine rang into my audio receptors. Activating my holoform, I slowly approached the entry/exit of the museum. Before I could get in the way, a red vehicle resembling an Aston Martin rumbled down to park up beside Optimus' truck form at the front of the museum.

Who was that?

Slick ride anyway.

The vehicle wolf-whistled at the truck form of Optimus and began speaking loud enough for even Sunburst and I to hear, "Sweet rims. 24 gauge. You're real heavy duty."

Oh my Primus.

I know that voice.

I went to charge up to the red Decepticon, ready to give him a reminder about why I was coming for him when Sunburst parked up in front of me, blocking my view of Optimus and our new enemy.

" _ **Don't go doing anything stupid,**_ " Sunburst warned me through the personal comm-link we had opened up a few days after his arrival, " _ **Trust me, I'm still fragged off about what he did to us too. But now's not a good time.**_ "

Sunburst was unfortunately right. Now wasn't a good time.

"Just like my friend here."

A bright light began shining on us. I looked through my rear-view mirror to see a blue army-looking vehicle pull up in the middle of parking lot just in front of us. A weapon appeared on the roof of the vehicle, firing a missile towards us. But instead of hitting Sunburst and I like it looked like it would, it flicked up towards Optimus and that red Decepticon.

He was going to bomb the museum. With the children inside!

I pulled out from behind Sunburst just as Optimus transformed, knowing it was absolutely necessary to keep the children from harm. He turned around and grabbed the missile with his servos, trying to not allow it pass him. His feet digging into the ground wasn't enough as he was pushed closer and closer to the museum.

But his need to make sure that our friends were safe rose above his own strength. He slowed the missile down enough to only kiss the window of the museum, the glass cracking instantly.

Thank goodness.

The army truck behind Sunburst and I transformed and began charging towards us, causing us to split up to dodge the hammer he had activated come swinging towards us. It was time we broke cover. I transformed first, activating my blasters and getting ready to attack the Decepticon when something sharp stabbed into my neck.

Electricity started coursing through me as I screamed in pain. What was this thing?! Oh Primus! Make it stop!

Whatever was stabbing me in the back of my neck suddenly disappeared. I staggered forward, trying to regain my footing and figure out where I was when I felt the person behind me grab my winglets and throw me in the air.

Electricity was still coursing through my circuits... my winglets were now spiking with pain... Ughhh... I felt sick...

I landed on my back with a hard thud. I twisted onto my side with a groan, opening my optics a little, trying to remember where I was. My vision was blurry from the electricity that had stabbed me in my neck, but not blurry enough that I could miss someone's frame coming closer towards me.

Sunburst?

No... He wasn't blue or red or really, really tall like my leader Optimus. He bent down when he reached my frame, rubbing my arm and looking over me to check if I was okay.

I twisted my helm up at him, blinking to clear my vision more to no avail. "Sunburst..." I groaned, my voice faltering to a helpless whisper, "Where's Sunburst."

Optimus looked at me, "Sunburst is fighting Breakdown." His helm snapped up suddenly as if he was looking at something.

What was happening?

He fell back suddenly, stepping towards the window like he was being forced to the front of the building. He began groaning in pain, causing me to sit up suddenly to see. Owww! My head! Alright, maybe I shouldn't have moved so fast. But I need to see what was happening!

The red car had transformed and was stabbing Optimus with an Energon Prod, blue electricity cackling around him. He took a few steps forward when the prod moved away, throwing the missile on the ground and collapsing in front of me into unconsciousness. The red Decepticon leaped onto Optimus' back, jabbing the prod back into his neck.

"Stop...please!" I groaned out, my blurry optics looking up at the Decepticon who was electrocuting my leader, "Leave...him alone!"

"Don't worry Windswept," The Decepticon smirked down at me, "Just get prepared for another round of electrocution."

Knock Out's always liked his Energon Prod a little bit too much...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The humans were frozen on the spot at the sight before them. They couldn't believe what was happening just outside the museum where Optimus was being electrocuted by a Decepticon smaller than him.

"It's 'Cons!" Raf gasped nervously.

Jack looked at the sight in a panic, "They got Optimus!"

Carly looked closer at the sight before them. Someone was with them on the ground before Optimus and the Decepticon. She looked closer at the sight, leaning against the railing as far as she could go, widening her eyes at the sight.

Whatever the Decepticons had done, they had knocked down her guardian too.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Knock Out stood to full height when he decided that he had enough of electrocuting Optimus, resting the dangerous end of the pod in front of me to help him. He looked at what was happening behind me.

I hope Sunburst was getting the better of that army 'Con.

But when I saw Knock Out flash the headlights on his chassis towards the Decepticon behind us as a way of communication, I knew deep down that he hadn't.

The sound of transforming was all I heard before a vehicle began rapidly approaching us, edging closer and closer. Now with clearer vision from the electrocution, I spotted the humans inside the museum, looking with their eyes widened, mouths agape and faces in fear and panic at the Decepticon coming towards us.

"Windswept to Team Prime," I groaned out into the main comm-link, "Requesting... an emergency assist."

I started to climb to my knees when Bumblebee appeared from the left side of the building. I watched weakly as he charged towards the Decepticon, skidding to a stop to transform and attack. A missile exploded in front of him suddenly, the force causing him to lose his footing and flip multiple times.

There was another exploding sound on my other side. I was scared of looking away from Knock Out in fear of him attacking me, but Arcee's vehicle form soon bounced into view, skidding along the parking lot. I could only presume she got caught up with Bumblebee and the exploding missile.

Large footsteps above on the museum building caused me to look up just as Bulkhead was leaping down over Knock Out, Optimus and I. He must've been going to the Decepticon who was knocking everyone literally off their feet.

Suddenly, Bulkhead smashed into Knock Out as they were flying in mid air. They ended up smashing into a pillar outside of the museum, falling around us.

I looked towards the humans, hoping they weren't affected by the impact.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Raf knew he couldn't waste any more time - their Autobot friends had just been taken down by the Decepticons, and the alarms had begun ringing when Bulkhead was thrown into the museum. He pushed the Energon Harvester with all his might, being able to push it into the motorised scissor elevator.

The trio of teenagers now surrounding the golden orb looked at their steal. Their part of the plan was nearly complete. All they had to do was get out of the museum before anything else occurred...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

My audio receptors lit up at the sounds of small and quiet groaning. I looked to Optimus, who was beginning to get himself up, the sound of the alarms probably waking him up.

"Optimus!" I whispered, gripping the pavement to help me move to him. I grabbed his upper arm, "Optimus, are you okay?"

He didn't answer. Or he did. I don't know. When I saw the sight of Knock Out racing towards him to electrocute him once again, I slapped my leader's arm in warning, "BEHIND YOU!"

As Knock Out leaped up to attack him, activating his Energon Prod, Optimus lifted his arm up to smack the Decepticon away from us. It sent him flying to pavement away from us.

With my leader now awake and alert to the action around us, I looked to see where everyone was. Bumblebee was lying on the ground, Arcee a few feet away from him, and Sunburst was resting near where I had been parked up before this mission went to scrap...

Not moving.

SUNBURST!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

With the Energon Harvester safely in the motorised scissor lift, Carly pressed a button on the controls for the lift to slowly go back down to ground level.

"Come on!" Miko urged in a hushed voice, pointing to the hallway, "Time to make our exit, guys!" She leaped out of the motorised vehicle and lead the way.

The girl ran down the hallway faster than the lift could drive, pausing to check around the corners until she came across a garage door at the back of the building. She spotted the toggle switch and slammed down the button, not wasting anytime to watch the door roll up and into the roof, and even running through the door when it was high enough for her to get through.

A bright light suddenly flashed over her. Turning to see where the light came from, Miko gasped at the sight of the male guard waiting for her.

"Uhhhh, wassup?" The Japanese exchange student greeted nervously, knowing that she didn't have anything to say that could get her out of the situation she had gotten herself in.

The guard switched off his torch and put it in his back pocket, "Better come with me, miss." He grabbed the girl's wrist and dragged her to his office, opening the door and practically throwing her into the room before following in after her.

Having watched from around the corner with Jack and Raf, Carly sighed in defeat, "Not good."

The sounds of footsteps distracted them from their new predicament, looking over the corner to see a pair of Cybertronian legs Jack automatically recognised, "Arcee!"

Or so he thought.

The three humans ran to her, hoping that they could hand over the Energon Harvester to them before they could strike any more trouble.

"Arcee!" Jack called out again.

The Cybertronian bent down and opened the door further, revealing that it was in fact not Arcee, but rather the silent Decepticon known as...

"Soundwave!" Carly screamed, taking fearful steps back from the eyes and ears of the Decepticons along with her brother and her childhood friend.

The Decepticon reached into the building, grabbed the Energon Harvester off the scissor lift and pulled his arm out of the museum in no time, overlooking the golden orb. Transforming into his jet form with the cargo he was looking for, he immediately began flying away.

The Autobots had been ambushed, Miko had been caught by the guard, and the Decepticons now had the Energon Harvester

Could their night get any worse?

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Optimus and I rose to our feet when we felt the coursing of electricity fade away from our bodies. The blurriness and the dizziness had worn off now, but the sharp pains that kept flickering through my winglets continued. It caused me to grimace now and then, but that wasn't my main concern.

The yellow and white-striped still figure was.

I ran over to him, despite the fact I wasn't as strong on my feet as I normally would be. I needed to make sure my brother figure was okay. I just needed to know...

I was only a few feet away from him when that yellow mech rolled onto his back and starting to sit up. I instantly slowed my pace, my sparkbeat slowing slightly.

He was okay. He was alive. Sunburst was okay.

As he stood up, he nearly collapsed back onto the ground. I arrived to him just in time to help, his frame practically leaning onto me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and looked at me with a tired expression, "Whatcha doing there, 'Swept? I'm normally helping you to your feet. Not the other way around!"

I sighed relief and amusement. He was definitely okay.

At the sound of jets rising above us, Sunburst and I looked up to see Soundwave take off, leaving behind a vapour trail. We looked back to Knock Out standing before us with his Energon Prod, also watching Soundwave flee. He looked at us and put his Prod away.

"Hmmmmm…that would be game." He transformed into his vehicle form and driving out of the lot despite Arcee shooting at him.

Breakdown quickly followed suit, driving after his partner. Arcee quickly began transforming to go after the Decepticon's that had attacked us. Bumblebee and Bulkhead quickly went to follow.

"GUYS!"

Everyone stopped in their places at the voice. We looked over at Carly, Jack and Raf racing over towards us in a panic.

Where was Miko? ... Where was the Energon Harvester?

"The Decepticons have the Harvester!" Jack told us.

"And security has Miko!" Raf added.

"WHAT? I'm going in after her!" Bulkhead decided, curling his fists

"Bulkhead," Optimus began, putting his hand out in front of him, "Miko may be detained. But she is safe from harm."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Look, kid." Miko looked up from the guard's tapping fingers when he spoke, "If this is some kind of prank, you need to know that the authorities are on their way. It'd go a whole lot easier for you if you just told me what happened to the sphere."

"I was researching my history report. I just lost track of time and got trapped in here after closing," Miko lied, her voice faking the innocence within it.

"So what's your history report about?" the security guard asked her, "I'd love to know." He smirked at her smugly, knowing very well he had caught her in the act.

"Uh…" Miko trailed off at the question.

Now would be a good time to start spitting out all what she knew about Ancient History before she landed herself in deeper trouble.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"In all likely-hood, Starscream and Slipstream will use the harvester to gather as much Energon as they can from the planet's otherwise un-mineable Energon deposits. Approach with extreme caution. Starscream and Slipstream will not hesitate to turn the harvester on any one of us," Optimus advised as he switched on the Groundbridge.

When we returned back to base, Ratchet quickly went to work on dealing with Sunburst's injuries he sustained during his battle with the Decepticon Breakdown, eventually ordering him to berth-rest for the rest of the day. Optimus, meanwhile, quickly sent Arcee, Bumblebee and Starlight out to start patrolling and scouting for any sign of the Decepticons.

"Bulkhead, it is best that you remain here," Optimus decided.

"So I can bust Miko out of the museum?" Bulkhead asked eagerly.

"So you can help Ratchet," Optimus corrected, "You may be Miko's guardian. But she requires human assistance. Agent Fowler remains her best option.."

And Aquastrike and I were being forced to keep an eye out on Bulkhead as he was being made to stay with us and help Ratchet.

Bulkhead watched in disbelief as Optimus transformed into his truck semi form and disappeared through the Groundbridge. As the portal closed, he turned and looked at us with his jaw agape.

I guess he hadn't expected that.

" _ **You've reached Special Agent William Fowler. I'm currently on an intensive training retreat and unavailable until Tuesday.**_ "

"Still no answer," Raf sighed in an apologetic tone.

"Fowler's lounging around some poolside cabana," Bulkhead growled, slamming his fist down on one of Ratchet's tools close by.

Upon finding the tool Bulkhead had destroyed, Ratchet gasped at the sight, "Bulkhead, I NEEDED THAT!"

"We can free Miko if we can just return that harvester to the museum," Bulkhead began.

"So the Decepticons can steal it all over again?" Ratchet retorted.

"…I am so dumb!" Bulkhead moaned.

"Don' you go sayin' that!" Aquastrike scolded at the mech, rubbing his shoulder in comfort before looking at us.

"So how are we going to get Miko out?" Carly asked.

"By returning this replica to the museum," Ratchet answered, holding up an almost completed golden orb that looked eerily similar to the Harvestor, "The construction of which would be going a whole lot faster if Bulkhead hadn't just mangled my FRAME WELDER!"

"Trespassers and thieves," Carly hummed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms, "Let's add forgery to the list while we're at it!"

Bulkhead groaned in frustration, "I wish I had never taken Miko to the…" Then he paused, looking at Aquastrike suddenly, "The painting of the harvester isn't the only thing we found at those ruins!"

"I'm sorry?" Ratchet asked, not understanding Bulkhead's plan

"Starscream and Slipstream are not dumb! No matter what kind of tool they have, they're gonna take the easy route!" Bulkhead realised.

And by taking the easy route, he meant going back to the sight of the Energon pulse!

I smirked at Bulkhead and Aquastrike, my hand hovering over the Groundbridge controls beside me, "Looks like we're going on another history lesson, team!"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Slipstream looked around at the Greek ruins Soundwave had transported her and the rest of the Decepticons to. This was the place where Breakdown discovered the Energon Harvester? It looked like a dump, in her opinion. There were destroyed buildings everywhere. How was this place so important in history? Why did it even matter?

She snapped herself out of her thoughts, looking at the Decepticon drones guarding the area hiding Energon, "Why move mountains when we have a mother-load of Energon waiting for us to take it?"

"Courtesy of this gift from the Ancient Autobots," Starscream grinned, holding up the golden orb.

"Uh…actually, Commander Starscream," Knock Out began, making the twin Decepticon leaders look behind them at him, "It was a gift from Breakdown and myself."

Starscream let out a low growl, pointing the weapon towards the new recruits. The two took a step back in fright, knowing two things very well. The first thing was that the Energon Harvester could do a lot of damage when activated. And the second thing was that Starscream wouldn't be afraid to use it on anyone.

So when Starscream fired at them, they were able to get out of the beams way just in time. But one of the Decepticon drones guarding the area wasn't so lucky. When the beam hit the drone, the blue Energon was slowly drained from his frame, the beam instantly attracting the lifeblood towards the Harvester. The drone began falling to the ground, choking out pleas for mercy. But they weren't enough to stop Starscream from sucking out all of the Energon from him.

"All that Energon in that little orb!" Rebecca scoffed in disbelief.

Having seen the damage the weapon could cause, Knock Out quickly took his words back, "Those Ancient Autobots never missed a trick, Lord Starscream and Lady Slipstream!"

Starscream pointed the weapon at the two Decepticons once more, watching them cower in fear. Deciding that enough was enough, Slipstream bumped Starscream around to a small crystal filled with Energon, activating the Harvester again. And just like scene before, blue Energon was sucked from the crystal towards the weapon...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

After Groundbridging ourselves from base to the Ancient ruins known as Greece, Bulkhead, Aquastrike and myself were scaling down the mountain behind the Decepticons, stopping and pausing briefly to watch the Energon Harvester at work, sucking the Energon out from an un-mineable source.

Bulkhead was the first to slip down the small cliff we came to, Aquastrike and I following suit. Once we were on the ground, we slowly crept up to the Decepticons behind them, having the element of surprise right on our backsides...

... Until Bulkhead stepped on a broken piece of what I presumed was the mural he had destroyed.

Breakdown and Knock Out instantly spun around to us, exchanging a knowing look... while we slapped our foreheads in frustration.

"Oh scrap."

"Back for seconds?" Breakdown asked us tormentingly as he activated his hammer while Knock Out activated his Energon Prod. They split into different directions, charging towards us.

On our right, Knock Out was twirling his Energon Prod. On our left, Breakdown was swinging his hammer around. Exchanging glances with smirks, Bulkhead and Aquastrike ducked and I jumped, allowing Knock Out to crash into Breakdown and be hit by his partner's hammer. Bulkhead reached up to grab the Energon Prod before swinging it at his enemy's neck, leaving him on his backside being electrocuted.

I landed on my feet while Aquastrike leaped up onto hers. Suddenly, I felt myself being shoved away by my aqua blue friend. I was ready to ask her what the heck she was up to when something exploded by her feet, forcing her to fly away up towards the cliff.

"Aquastrike!" I screamed, ready to go racing after her.

Something sharp came around my neck, not allowing me to go much further the steps I had taken. Before I could react, an arm wrapped around my waist, pinning my arms to my side. I fought them, but when something sharp pricked at my neck below, I knew that fighting wasn't going to do anything to get me out of the position I was in.

"So we meet again Windswept," Knock Out somewhat purred in my audio receptor.

Refusing to let my growing fear show, I growled, "So we do. It's been a while since you left me and Sunburst for dead."

"Left you and Sunburst for dead? ... Or left Sunburst to watch you die?"

I went to spit out a reply when Bulkhead was suddenly hit with the Harvester, the weapon immediately sucking out his lifeblood and making him fall.

"You're a big one," Starscream commented as we listened to Bulkhead's groans, "This could take a while."

Slipstream smirked at our predicament before transforming and flying towards the cliff where Aquastrike had been blown to. Slipstream must have been the one to fire that missile towards us. That's why Aquastrike shoved me away.

I needed to get Bulkhead to do something. Anything to help him out of the predicament we were all in. I couldn't go anywhere, and Aquastrike was probably butting heads with Slipstream... I smirked at the small thought slipping through my mind.

"BULKHEAD!" I yelled at my what could be dying friend, "Do what you do best!"

I was desperate to get out of Knock Out's grip but I knew the result wouldn't be pleasant.

That was when Bulkhead began climbing to his feet and staggering towards Starscream. It would take ages for the Harvester to remove the Energon from Bulkhead because he was a large 'bot. And while the process continued, Bulkhead should have more than enough time to get to Starscream with what strength he had left and stop him. Which was what he was doing.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Starscream stepped away from Bulkhead when the latter came closer to him

"What I do best!" Bulkhead smirked weakly, grabbing the Harvester, "Breaking things!" With that, he punched Starscream back and snatched the weapon out of his grip, crushing it in his hand. Weakly, he threw it up and away from the area we were in.

The weapon exploded high above us, blue clouds lighting the sky. Bulkhead, now severely weakened by the lack of Energon, collapsed onto the ground before Knock Out and I. Breakdown joined us, Energon Prod in hand

"He's a glutton for punishment," Knock Out smirked as Breakdown chuckled. Then he moved his mouth to my audio receptor, "Looks like I'm about to leave you for dead again. And this time, you're gonna be dead."

The sounds of a Groundbridge portal behind us had me sighing in relief. Optimus, Arcee, Starlight and Sunburst transformed into their Cybertronian forms and began shooting at the Decepticons, coming to mine and Bulkhead's rescue.

"Fight?" Breakdown asked.

"Mmmm…you drive," Knock Out told him, "I have an old friend to meet up with." His grip on me tightened while Breakdown transformed and sped off into the distance.

While Optimus', Arcee's and Starlight's attentions were on Starscream, Rebecca and the returning Slipstream, Sunburst's attentions were on us, landing in front of Knock Out and I, battle axes out and ready to strike.

"Let go of my sister-in-law, Knock Out."

Wait, what? ... Sister-in-law?!

Knock Out laughed before me, his grip loosening, "Sunburst, long time. I'd love to stay and chat but I have somewhere to be." He removed his grip on me fully, deactivating his weapons. "See you two around!" With that said, he transformed and followed his partner.

"Sister-In-Law?!" With the son of a glitch now gone, I spun towards Sunburst with a questioningly look.

Sunburst only rubbed the back of his helm when he put his weapons away, "At base."

I only nodded at him, racing towards Bulkhead to see if he was okay. Aquastrike, with a few claw and scratch marks one her frame, was already beside him with the same motive. Once we heard the sounds of jets disappearing in the distance, Optimus, Arcee and Starlight raced up, Arcee joining me and Sunburst on our knees beside our friend.

He looked up at us weakly, "Hey."

I sighed in relief. He was going to be okay. He just needed to be refuelled and then he'll be in full shape.

I looked at Sunburst beside me with an emotionless expression. I wasn't sure if he was going to be okay after I was through with him.

* * *

The next morning's actions went pretty well. Ratchet was able to create a replica of the now destroyed Energon Harvester, which we delivered back to the museum. Agent Fowler managed to check his cellphone in time to get Miko out of trouble. And Bulkhead had recovered enough to go pick up the girl, who apparently attempted to her worm her way out of trouble by spitting out Ancient History facts she didn't even know she knew!

So while they were returning to Miko's home for her to get freshened up for school, as well as the humans heading home also prepare for school, the team were taking a small break as we prepared ourselves for the next mission.

Except for Sunburst and I.

I dragged my brother figure to the corridor to confront him about the information he had spilt when saving me from Knock Out. It was time for some answers.

"Sister-in-law, huh?" I began, facing him. I crossed my arms, silently letting him know that this discussion was serious, "Since when has that term been around?"

Sunburst sighed, pressing his back against the wall, "'Swept, it's a long sto-"

"We have time."

The mech looked at his black servos at my interruption, rubbing his face with them frustratingly. Then he used them to cover his nose-plates and mouth, taking a moment. As he continued to drag out the stalling, I loosened my folded arms slightly.

Maybe what he was about to tell me was more serious than I realised.

"Sunburst?" I whispered softly, taking a step forward to rub his arm comfortingly, "No one else is here. It's just me and you. You can tell me anything, or everything, if you can."

His hands slipped away from his face, hanging loosely at his sides. While he struggled to tell me exactly what he wanted to say, I allowed my mind to rush back through the story of how I joined the Autobots.

Whirlwind and I were born during the war, our parents were Neutrals, having chosen this faction to keep us safe. This was because our carrier was an Autobot while our creator was a former Decepticon. When we reached our, in human terms, pre-teenage years, our parents decided to flee Cybertron in somehow to keep us together. But we were suddenly taken upon our leaving, and our captives murdered both our parents.

Or so I thought.

You see, Whirlwind and I suffer from a serious case of memory loss. This is because we were horribly injured during an almost fatal explosion when Megatron supposedly 'saved' us. We couldn't remember what exactly had occurred during our childhood so we could only rely on information Megaton had told us.

Whirlwind and I were taken in by and grew up as Decepticons, with Megatron watching over and feeding us stories to continue our stay so we would grow up to become fighters on his side. But Slipstream kept slipping hints that all wasn't right. So I attacked her, asking for the truth. She didn't reveal it, but she hinted to me the captives who murdered my parents were Decepticons. And Megatron knew as he was there to oversee it happen. Shocked at the information that we had discovered, Whirlwind and I planned and successfully executed our escape to the Autobots. But the Decepticons had followed us to a dead end with two ways we could escape. We decided to split apart, hoping to reunite on the other side.

But obviously, we didn't.

I was pulled to Iacon for some strange reason. Something about the place seemed familiar. On arrival, I met a few Autobots, two of them being Alpha Trion and Sunburst, the latter who's behaviour was... odd.

As we got closer and closer during the war, Sunburst revealed his knowledge of Whirlwind and I ever since I had apparently walked out of home and into the line of fire. He had delivered me home with another friend, another friend who I eventually would become close with too, both of them tasked to guard us since we had targets on our backs. He became very close with Whirlwind and when we left, he was apparently crushed.

So according to that, and since Sunburst would never lie to me, I discovered that I had known Sunburst a lot longer than I had realised. I have never known how long for exactly, but I assume that it wasn't for a very long time. But who knows?

"Windswept?" I looked up at Sunburst, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yes?"

He closed his optics slowly before reopening them, his focus all on me to get out what he was going to tell me.

"When I left Iacon after Raindrop's death, I hadn't gone out to search for his killer. Alpha Trion provided me with information of Whirlwind."

Whirlwind and I had shut off each side of the bond we shared because of our split-sparks when we had split apart to protect one another. I never reopened my end for years until I was forced to leave Cybertron. When I opened my side, I couldn't feel her. I was unable to know whether the other side of the bond was shut off because Whirlwind hadn't reopened it or because she had died before she was able to reopen it.

"Whirlwind had found the Wreckers and had spent the rest of the war with them, fighting on their side. I decided to go find her to prove to myself that she wasn't dead since I didn't believe Alpha Trion. I told him not to let you know because he knew you would follow me. You were safer at Iacon than out where the real battle was."

I refused to answer that statement. Instead I allowed Sunburst to continue.

"Alpha Trion's information was correct, 'Swept. She was at the Wreckers. And you'd be so proud of her! She's so strong and tough and smart... and beautiful. I joined the Wreckers to be close to her, to keep her safe once more like I had done before you guys were taken by the Decepticons. We fought together, we talked, we laughed... we fell in love.

"We spark-bonded only hours before we were forced apart. Someone took her away from me when the announcement came over that we had to leave Cybertron. They were on a scouting mission at the time so it made sense. But when we spark-bonded, that was the last time I saw her."

I fell against the wall in shock trying to process the information I had just been told. Whirlwind had joined the Wreckers. She must've been able to out run the Decepticons, or accidentally lead them to the Wreckers. They must have taken her under their wing and helped her become a fighter just like I had become. And then Sunburst found her... and they fell in love... and they bonded.

I looked up at Sunburst... my brother-in-law.

"C-Can you feel her?" I stuttered, "Through the sparkbond?"

This was it. The moment of truth. Was Whirlwind still alive?

Sunburst gripped my shoulders tightly, "I haven't felt her side of the bond open since the day we left Cybertron."

I looked away. My spark was nearly shattered at the news.

"B-But that's not a bad thing," Sunburst instantly argued, bending down to my eye level, "'Swept, maybe she doesn't want to open the bond. Maybe it'll tear her apart. She missed you dearly at the Wreckers. She wanted to be with you again. I know that she loves you so much."

Tears slipped down my cheeks. Alright so I wasn't the tough Autobot I had portrayed myself to be around with the others. I was weak when it came to my loved ones.

But weren't we all?

I looked back at him, my vision blurry from the tears, "I wish we could tell her how much we love her and miss her... and how much I wish for her to be here."

"You and I both know that she will be wishing the same thing. 'Swept," Sunburst answered softly, scooping me into his arms and hugging me tightly,

I wrapped my arms around Sunburst's neck tightly. Whirlwind was out there in the galaxy, waiting for us to pick up her signal and bring her to us. I just know it.

She will come home one day. It may not be today. It may not be tomorrow. Scrap, it may take years, but she'll come home to us. I would be okay until then. Because I had the love of my friends and my family around me. And when I say family, I mean it in a literal way.

* * *

Probably not my best editing work to date. I've picked up a flu bug which has slowed me down. I'm hoping to get better soon so I can get back to work, both for this and literally for work.

There is progress still going on with this story off site, which is good for me just in case I fall behind with chapters. I'm currently in the middle of preparing to write drafts for 'TMI' so I'm getting there.

Progress might sped up a little bit if a follow/favourite/review spurs me on ;).

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 11/07/2019** )


	12. Chpt 12: Speed Metal

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

I've found a little spring in my step it seems. I've found a rhythm I'm happy with and I'm ready to get back into this story. Hopefully this is the start of more consistent updates from now on. Fingers crossed.

In other news, I'm currently in pursuit of searching for a new title for this story. I don't really know/remember why I had titled this story 'Breakthrough' when I first start writing it. I can't seem to figure out what I want the title to be as I really want it to refer to the contents of this story. Any suggestions would be much appreciated - just PM me if you want to add your input. I don't want anyone suggesting a title in a review as I don't want anyone's ideas to be stolen by someone else.

Thank you to Skyress98 and Predator125 for following and favouriting this story (Yay, we hit 10 favourites!), and to Mia Prime for also reviewing. I was able to translate it and understand it a little to what you were referring to. Regardless, I appreciate the review.

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept and the other OC's belong to me.

(Chapter Title: Racing + Cybertronians = Trouble)

* * *

The night was calm and cloudy. Bright city lights shone behind a red Aston Martin One-77 began that was passing by small hills and dark green trees. Its' headlights shone brightly in the night, lighting up the road ahead so he could see where he was heading.

" _ **As Metropolitan PD continues to crack down on illegal street racing, citing the danger to both drivers and pedestrians-**_ "

The vehicle suddenly cut off the radio, uninterested about the issues with the so called 'illegal' street racing. He was concentrating on the bright lights shining through the trees ahead of him. Something was going on. Something he was well aware of.

After all, Knock Out did love his street racing. Of course he knew where the next meet was.

He arrived right on time, pulling up beside a large, black souped-up racer just as the starter was walking in front of them, ready to drop the green flag. The black-haired, tattooed driver of the black car looked over at the fancy-shmancy red car that had joined him in waiting for the race to start.

"Not from around here. European design?" The driver presumed. He got no response, continuing to stare at himself through the window. Frustrated with the silence, he kept looking over the vehicle, "Sure is pretty. _Too_ pretty." He pulled out his fist with a shiny ring on it and began scratching the side of the Aston Martin, leaving a huge scratch mark across the door..

Unbeknownst to the driver, Knock Out twitched his mirror down at the sight of the scratch mark before twisting it towards the driver. The latter just shook his head in secret delight of his work, pulling up the heavily tinted window

"Big mistake," Knock Out growled, changing gears as he prepared himself for the race.

The starter held up his torch and clicked it on.

Go time.

All four cars raced away at the light, the ref behind them watching them disappear in the dust.

The black car instantly passed the green and sky blue ones, obtaining the lead as soon as he could. Behind them, the red Aston Martin wasn't too far away, beginning his charge towards the front.

The driver of the black car flicked his eyes to the rear-view mirror quickly, seeing his opponents slowly disappear from sight. But that wasn't enough. He wanted to own this race! To prove that he was best there was! So he pressed down on the gas, orange flames licking out the exhaust pipe. He pushed on the gas pedal harder, watching his RPM metre be pushed to its' absolute limit.

The sound of squealing tires behind him made him look out the rear-view mirror once more, finding the red Aston Martin screaming around the corner and speeding up rapidly. He smashed into the back of the car, nearly making the driver lose control.

"HEY!"

But the vehicle in behind wouldn't let up. He wanted revenge for the scar the human had left on his door. So, as the driver began drifting around the corner, Knock Out took his chance, ramming straight into the vehicle. The car instantly lost control, its' steering broken from the contact. It ploughed over the edge of a nearby cliff, its' nose pointing straight to the ground below, slowly beginning to turn over.

The car landed with a loud bang on its' roof with the windscreen smashed. The driver groaned as he awoke, "Dude."

Having seen the car crash, Knock Out rested at the edge of the cliff, "You scratch my paint, I scratch yours."

The red Decepticon pulled away from the cliff and onto the road, intent on reaching the finish line ahead.

That'll teach that punk to never mess with him again...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Carly and Jack were walking out of the Jasper High School, laughing and chatting away at the day's events. The two just seemed to click and make each other very happy for some reason. I hope those two get together or something like that. They're literally so adorable!

I smiled not only at that thought, but also the fact that base wouldn't be as crowded as it had become lately when Arcee and I got there. Ratchet, Starlight and Bumblebee were out on a scouting mission, and Optimus was on patrol with Aquastrike. Bulkhead had just taken Miko and Raf to base where my brother-in-law Sunburst was waiting.

Brother-in-law... wow that's so weird to say...

That bombshell he dropped hit me hard. He and Whirlwind had spark-bonded only hours before the War for Cybertron was declared over! And the fact that he had sworn me to secrecy too was also a big deal. I didn't want to keep this in! I wanted to it get out! I wanted to talk to someone about the fact that Sunburst was my brother! He wasn't just my old friend or my brother figure.

He was seriously my brother!

Carly appeared beside me, snapping me out of my thoughts. She chucked on her helmet, the same one that said 'Alejandro' on it, and hopped onto the seat. Jack chucked on his helmet and also hopped onto Arcee. We made Jack and Carly pretend to ignite the ignition to not raise suspicion about the fact that Arcee and I were actually the ones revving up.

We began pulling out of the parking space, ready to start our journey to base.

"Hey! Cherry moped!"

I heard Carly sigh at the boys voice. Apparently this guy was named Vince and was known as the school bully. But he also had this thought that he could bed pretty much any girl he laid his eyes on. He had bedded half of the girls their age at school and now he had a new target.

My charge.

Carly had told me not to worry about it and that it was just a phase. Apparently, it would pass. But it's been three weeks since he got his eyes on her and first asked her to spend the night. He hasn't let it go.

Jack looked through the visor of his helmet back at the orange-haired kid, "This moped has dual carbs and it can go from zero to sixty in 3.5 seconds."

Vince rolled his eyes, ignoring the boy. But when he spotted Carly on me, his eyes showed a hidden desire for the girl. He smiled what I thought was genuine smile at the girl.

Then we heard him speak.

"You busy tonight, Carly? Oh that's right, you are... and it involves you in my bed."

Yuck.

Carly snorted at the teenager, a dangerous smirk appearing on her lips, "So I'm going to be awake all night then?"

Carlotta Zita Esquivel, what the bloody heck?!

"We can go all night if you want to, baby," Vince smirked, standing to full height and approaching us.

"Just like the legend huh?" Carly asked teasingly. Vince looked at her with a confused facial expression as a response, causing her to just laughed, "You know... If you can't sleep at night, it's because you're awake in someone's else dream." She batted her eyelashes in a humble way, "Vince, I'm flattered by the fact that you dream about me, but they're only dreams. They'll never come true."

That's my girl.

With that said, I revved up the engine and sped away from the school. It was the only thing that I thought fitted the ending of that burn. I hope Vince has some ice on him.

Arcee and Jack soon followed us, pulling up alongside us when we were at a red light. And also at a safe distance Arcee and I to talk to Jack and Carly.

"Uh…Jack?" Arcee began, the not-so-happy tone evident in her voice, "A lady's vital stats are her own business."

Jack just sighed in amusement and what I thought was a little bit of frustration at the motorcycle.

"Yeah Jack! You should know that," Carly smirked at him.

"Hey!" The two humans looked to the right of them when they heard that voice. They looked over at the pathway, spotting two girls starring at Jack.

Wait, I've seen those girls before.

"Nick, right?"

"Actually, it's _Jack_ , Sierra," Carly corrected, spitting out Jack's name like the girl over on the other side of us was meant to know his name.

Wait... Sierra? ... Sierra as in Sierra from that KO Drive-In place where Jack first found out that Arcee wasn't just any ordinary motorcycle.

The same Sierra that Carly disliked? Because Jack had a crush on her?

Sierra gave Carly a dirty look before looking back at Jack, "You once offered to take me for a ride."

O-Of course, I-I did," Jack stuttered in response, "At anytime."

Are you serious Jack? Are you seriously going to do this here? And break my charge's heart?!

"I'm your guardian, kiddo," Arcee reminded him quietly, flicking up her mirror and looking at Jack's pleading face, "Not your wingman."

"Let's wrap it up here guys," I warned. Time was ticking.

"So... how about now?" Sierra asked hopefully.

"Uhhh..." Jack trailed off, looking down at Arcee once more.

If he does this and break Carly's heart, her heart won't be the only thing that's broken. I can guarantee that.

A black vehicle with orange and yellow flames pulled up in the gap between the pathway and Arcee and Jack, pausing the latter in his answer. Carly groaned quietly at the person that had appeared.

Did I really need to see who it was?

"Hey, hey, small world!" Vince commented.

"I'm having a conversation," Jack spat out while I flicked my mirrors over just in time to see Vince stand up in his vehicle, poking his upper body out from the roof of his car.

"Cheer captain here might enjoy watching you take on four wheels of muscle car," Vince suggested as Sierra's blonde friend began whispering something in her ear.

"Are you serious?" Carly asked dryly, flicking her visor up to look at the boy.

Vince looked over Jack at her with a smirk, "Anything to impress you, Miss Esquivel."

"The fact that you've left my brother alone for almost two months impresses me," Carly retorted, narrowing her eyes dangerously at the teenager.

"Are you challenging me, Vince?" Jack asked in disbelief, glancing at Carly before looking back at the orange-haired teen, "To a race?"

"Catch on quick, punch. What do ya say?"

Don't even think about it Jack.

Team Prime has a rulebook... I'm not kidding. We have about five different sections with a set amount of rules to follow on each while we live under the roof of Autobot Outpost Omega One. Section three, rule number one: Never abuse power for any personal gain. This also included a little thing called horse power.

So while Jack looked over at Sierra and began stuttering nervously at the offer, I immediately commed Arcee through the private link, "Time to wrap up here, don't you agree?"

Arcee was quick to answer. The red flags must have popped up in her mind as well, " _ **Let's get out of here.**_ "

As soon as the lights above us clicked down to green, Arcee and I revved up and began speeding away from the trio of humans waiting expectedly for an answer. Jack and Carly began yelling and screaming when we took off, having been unprepared by our taking off.

"What the hell 'Swept!" Carly began yelling at me once she grabbed a hold of the handlebars, "You didn't let Jack answer!"

Arcee then gave her answer for Jack, "Nope."

"But Arcee, we can smoke him!" Jack argued.

"Yep!"

Oh yeah Arcee can! But will she? No. We had rules to follow.

"You just don't get it," Jack sighed.

"This could be our chance to get Vince to leave us alone!" Carly argued, Jack nodding in agreement beside her as we pulled up to another set of traffic lights.

"Guys, Arcee and I don't make the rules. Optimus does. We just obey and follow every command he gives, no matter how we feel about those rules," I explained to them.

"And rule number one, in case you guys missed it: never abuse power for personal gain. And that includes horse power!" Arcee told the two.

The two were silent after that, exchanging looks of defeat. They knew that we were right and they also knew that they couldn't argue against us. So when Vince revved his vehicle engine and reappeared beside us, Jack sighed and came to a decision.

"Vince, maybe racing isn't such a good id-"

Vince cracked up in laughter before Jack could finish his sentence. He must've expected Jack to wimp out of the race or something, "Figured! You ride around like your bike's something special. But it's just a chunky, clunky trike! And ugly!" As soon as the lights turned green above us, Vince revved the engine on his car once more and drove us, going back to Sierra and her friend behind us.

Oh, he did **not** just call Arcee ugly! How dare he call my friend nothing but a chunky, clunky trike! He ain't getting away with that! No one messes with my friends and gets away with! No way in the pits of Kaon!

"That's it! The yahoo's going down!" Arcee growled as we spun around, following the direction that Vince had gone in just seconds ago.

"Whoa! What happened to rule number one?" Jack asked once he and Carly had regained their grip on the handlebars.

"Gets bent," Arcee simply answered, "Just this once."

"And why are we following?" Carly asked.

"No one calls my friend a chunky and clunky trike and ugly AND gets away with it!" I replied, "I wanna watch Arcee whoop his aft before I do it for her!"

Section five, rule number one: do not mess with the Autobot femmes of Team Prime. We will destroy to pieces not matter what faction you are on.

Vince pulled up beside the girls on the pavement ahead of us, his voice being loud enough for us to hear, "Yo girls! Your pal Darby he's-"

"Ready when you are Vinnie!" Jack interrupted as we pulled up behind him.

Vince grinned over his shoulder when he saw Carly and I, "You're coming to watch, Esquivel?"

"I want to be able to sleep well tonight knowing that you got your butt whooped by Jack and the bike you called chunky and clunky," Carly simply answered, paying more attention the nails on her fingers. Then she looked up, eyes narrowing, "And ugly."

Vince narrowed his eyes at all of us, "Dirt road by trucker's ranch. One hour."

* * *

The hour had passed. The race was about to begin.

Arcee and Jack were waiting at a mile marker with Vince and his pitiful excuse for a muscle car. Carly and I were waiting at the next marker that was down the road. Sierra and her friend were standing about roughly the middle of the signs.

I flicked my mirror up at Carly, who had her helmet off and her arms crossed, waiting for the race to start. I knew that she knew that Jack wasn't just racing for Arcee's benefit. But because of Sierra. She told me that she was quite convinced about that. And the fact that he was only racing to impress Sierra not only was breaking her heart, but making me seriously question a few things.

What did Jack see in Sierra that she had in comparison to Carly?

I've heard the way Miko talks about her. She doesn't really care for Sierra at all, probably even less than Carly if that were possible. She talks about how Sierra is just a popular cheerleader who laps up the attention she gets from all the boys because she's the head cheer captain who doesn't have a single flaw. Come on, are boys blind or something! She's not even that pretty to be honest...

Now Carly should've been the popular one. She's beautiful, kind, a quick thinker, a seriously good piano player and someone who everyone loves. She greets everyone, no matter who, with waves and smiles, her bright, happy mood instantly brightening up their days.

And I would know. It happens with everyone at base. Even Optimus is even brought to a small smile at her kindness.

And she has flaws. The amount of love for her friends and family will push her to some radical and pretty stupid things. She does get frustrated easy. Sometimes she can't deal with the action and everything that happens around her. Sometimes she just walks away.

But that's what makes up Carly. That's who she was. That's the girl who I'm beginning to nearly call my little sister every time I see her.

Though, to be honest, I was pretty biased about this. I disliked Sierra and loved Carly to bits. Made sense.

The race looked to be gearing up from where we were waiting. I zoomed in my optics, seeing Vince look over at Jack.

"Smash his aft, Arcee!" I commed to her.

" _ **I will if I don't win.**_ "

Vince in the muscle car suddenly sped away from the start line, instantly leaving poor Arcee and Jack in dust. He must have played some sort of dirty tactic to jump them on the line. As the dark clouds began rolling in around us, the muscle car and Arcee raced past Sierra and her blonde friend, the girls having to push down their skirts to make sure they didn't flare up.

We watched as Jack and Arcee went from lagging behind Vince to slowly creeping up along the left of his vehicle. With a small wave on Jack's part, he and Arcee pulled a wheelie before speeding in front of the muscle car, gaining the lead off Vince and evidently, the win.

Scrap yes!

As the two rushed past the mile marker and Carly and I, the two instantly began celebrating ahead of us while Carly put on her helmet. Hearing Jack cheer and Arcee honk her horn in celebration made Carly laugh as I pulled onto the road and began racing to catch up to them.

"You know, now might be a good time to give Sierra a quick once around the block?" We heard Jack ask hopefully,

"Don't push it.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

With Starscream ready to head out to perform what he called 'leadership duties', Slipstream was getting prepared to be left alone. Left in full charge of not only the Decepticon Warship, but of the entirety of the Decepticon army. The drones, Soundwave, Rebecca, Moonlight, Knock Out, Breakdown.

Everybody! And Slipstream was going to loving it!

But before being in left in charge, Starscream had to go quickly say a farewell to Megatron just in case his health suddenly declined while he was away. So Slipstream and Starscream were on their way to the medical bay where their former master was currently in stasis.

Slipstream and Starscream arrived to the entrance of the Decepticon medical bay, peeking through the small window to find Rebecca floating on her hovershoes and overlooking Breakdown, who was beginning to buff out the smoke patches and scars that had been left on the former Decepticon leader.

"Ahhhh Breakdown and Rebecca," Slipstream greeted the blue and silvery-grey Decepticon and the wavy-haired human when the doors to the medical bay slid open at her command. Rebecca and Breakdown looked up at twins, the recently arrived Decepticon pausing in his work, "Has there been any change in Megatron's condition?"

Breakdown hummed, looking at Slipstream and Starscream when they stood beside him, "Only cosmetic."

"Don't worry your pretty little spark, Slipstream." The blue and purple Decepticon looked over her shoulder with a growl, gritting her denta when she spotted Moonlight leaning against the doorway to the medical bay with a smirk. She began her descent towards the trio of Decepticons and the unconscious former leader on the medical berth, "I'm sure Knock Out and Breakdown are doing _everything_ they can to bring him back to the real world."

Ignoring the taunting arm that had wrapped around her shoulders, Slipstream kept her composure, her face emotionless as she looked at Breakdown, "Speaking of that auto-mobile fanatic, where is he?"

The five Decepticons looked behind them at the sound of the medical bay doors opening. Appearing on the other side was Knock Out, the red Decepticon walking into the room with a mix of frustration and anger.

Uh-oh, Knock Out was in a grump.

"Can you believe what some skin-job did to me?" Knock Out grumbled, pointing to a small scratch mark on his left arm which would become the doors of his Aston Martin One-77 vehicle form.

"You have been street racing among the humans again, haven't you?" Starscream questioned knowingly with a growl, watching him walk over to check Megatron's vitals.

"I'm not only an auto-mobile. I am an auto-mobile enthusiast!" Knock Out defended with a shrug, looking at Starscream.

"I do strive to run a tight ship, Knock Out. I would strongly suggest that you seek my permission you decide to disappear on one of your little jonts," Starscream growled in suggestion.

"No worries, _Herr_ and _Frau_ Kommandants," Knock Out rolled his optics.

Starscream wasn't amused, "It is **Lord** and **Lady** to you!"

"Only if Megatron takes a nosedive," Knock Out retorted, striving to annoy the Decepticon further before he was due to leave.

"Boys," Moonlight began, watching Starscream stand in front of Knock Out, "Play nice."

"The day Megatron emerges from stasis, Slipstream and I will graciously relinquish the title," Starscream promised, his eyes narrowing at the Decepticon medic, "But I believe that outcome is unlikely. Something to do with the quality of medical care around here." With his warning sent, Starscream turned around, walking towards the doors, "So continue buffing. We do want Megatron looking his best for the memorial."

Once Starscream had opened the medical doors and had disappeared through them, the Decepticon not due to visit again until his return from his mission the following day, Breakdown went back to work, activating his buffer to continue cleaning up Megatron.

"Buff this!" Knock Out called out after him, flicking up a certain finger.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

After the race and congratulating Arcee and Jack for beating the punk kid's aft, we made our way to Autobot base to drop the humans off for the rest of the day.

Carly had at first seemed alright after exchanging a high-five with Jack and an excited congrats to the boy. But a few minutes into the drive later and her mood had dramatically changed. Jack had asked the girl what she was up to while she was at base. A simple question that got a harsh response in return.

The brown-haired girl had told him to go ask Sierra that question since, and I quote, 'whatever was making his decisions for him today couldn't keep their thoughts off Sierra'.

I had pulled ahead of the two and gave the girl a piece of my mind. I told that she needed to stop thinking about her feelings for Jack and to just talk to him about it. It was obvious that those feelings were not going away any time soon the more time they spent together at base. And even though I got a bit of an argument back from her, she eventually relented and decided that she would when we returned to base.

I let Arcee know that something was happening and that Jack and Carly needed to talk by themselves. So we drove straight through the main area of the base, passing everyone there waiting for us and towards one of the empty hallways.

Jack and Carly got off us, the former with a questioning look. We just told him that it was a standard procedure that we sometimes needed to perform just in case of an emergency. As Jack and Carly began taking off their helmets, Arcee and I pulled up beside them and transformed. Arcee looked down at the two humans.

"Not a word to anyone."

"Our little secret," Jack and Carly promised with a small wink.

Trusting our human friends, and knowing what was possibly going to happen next, we exchanged a nod and walk away.

"So..." Arcee began with a smirk on her lips, "We still have a score to settle."

I looked at her, mirroring the smirk. Ahh yes, our races back to base. We keep tying way too much. Time for plan B.

"Meet in the training room in five?"

"You're on!"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Carly looked over at Jack shyly, fidgeting with the straps on her helmet. This was it. Now or never. If she didn't tell Jack about how she felt about him, then by the time she felt ready to tell him, it could be too late. But first, she had an apology to give.

"I'm sorry for snapping on the way here."

"Don't worry about it," Jack shrugged, "I probably should be shutting up about Sierra. I don't even know why I am anyway. I mean, she's cool and all, but..." Carly looked over at her friend when he paused, slightly concerned. But when she saw him looking at her, his eyes locked onto hers, she suddenly couldn't take another step, "But I don't really like her as much as I thought."

His eyes, his eyes, his eyes! It was like he had commanded her to continue looking into his dark blue eyes with her light brown orbs. And she could've sworen that he was edging closer and closer towards her.

"I have something to te-"

"I have something to te-"

"DUDES!"

Carly and Jack jumped back from each other when they heard the excited Japanese exchange student's voice, looking behind them and spotting her race towards them excitement. She began making motorcycle revving noises.

"And the winner is…!"

Jack and Carly exchanged a surprised and nervous look as Raf began racing over after Miko. How did they know already?

"Miko, who told you?" Jack asked nervously, looking back at the younger girl.

"You kidding?" Miko gasped in disbelief for lighting up once more, "It's all over school!"

Carly, immediately thinking that the news would start to blow up on social media, quickly pulled her phone from her pocket and instantly began pressing commands on the cellphone. She groaned as her thoughts came true, seeing Jack and his motorcycle beating Vince and his muscle car, "Yeah and social media, by the looks of it."

"You beat the pants off that blow-hard bully, Vince!" Raf gushed excitedly from behind his sister and her childhood friend, the girl slipping her phone back into her pocket.

Miko and Raf were too excited by this. If Jack and Carly didn't calm them down soon, then they'd go and tell the whole team out in the main room. And then that information would quickly spread to Optimus, who was still yet to arrive back from his mission. But it wouldn't be long before the Prime knew.

So Carly grabbed Miko while Jack grabbed Raf, pulling them into a small huddle

"Guys, we have to keep this hush hush!" Carly whispered.

Jack nodded in agreement, "ESPECIALLY from Optimus!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

So my plan failed... and frankly, I'm a little disappointed by that. Though to be fair, Raf and Miko need to keep their mouths shut so the whole team doesn't start talking about recent events. So it was kind of a good thing that my plan did fail.

According to Carly this morning, Jack had become an overnight sensation, his popularity at school slowly rising. Everyone was messaging him and asking him how he beat Vince, how it all occurred, and how the boy had supposedly reacted. Apparently, Vince hadn't been too pleased about the lose, quickly becoming the joke of the school.

Carly's feelings will unfortunately have to wait.

Arcee and I were waiting outside of the school when Jack and Carly appeared through the door, talking about something. But instead of being all laughs and smiles, their talk was looking a bit more serious.

But just as they reached the end of the steps, guess who turned up right behind them?

"Hey Jack! I've been looking for you!" Sierra called out, stopping at the top of the steps when Jack and Carly turned around, "The race! How great was that? I was like: 'Yeah, go Jack!'"

I narrowed my eye line at Carly when the two exchanged a look. It looked to be a glance of jealousy from Carly at first. But then it softened to a small smile. Huh, maybe my plan didn't _totally_ fail.

"I-I-It was no big deal," Jack shrugged

Vince walked up to Jack and Carly from behind, almost shoulder-barging them from behind. Brushing off his shoulder, the orange-haired teenager looked at Carly, "Off you go sweet cheeks. This doesn't concern you."

Carly crossed her arms in protest, taking a step forward, "Jack's my friend. If you're going to talk to him, you're gonna have to talk to me too."

Vince took a step towards her. I quickly felt sick. His stomach touching her crossed arms, he brushed a strand of hair off her face. They were standing too close for my comfort and no doubt Carly's.

And I swear Jack's fists curled up at his sides in hidden jealousy.

"Run along, Carly. This is big-boy business," Vince whispered darkly to her.

Carly must have gotten a little fright from his tone and the way he had ranged up on her. She took a step back from the boy and patted Jack's shoulder, "I'll meet you down the road." When Jack nodded to her, she quickly walked over to my motorcycle form.

"Are you okay?" I quickly asked her in worry.

"Drop it 'Swept," Carly snapped as she chucked on her helmet.

Vince must have gotten to her. She was already hopping onto my motorcycle form before I could answer back. I saw her look up at Jack and Vince, the latter who was looking over Jack's shoulder at her. I saw the dangerous smirk appear on his face and that's when I knew I had to get out this place before Carly's body start shaking even more than it already did.

* * *

Ten minutes later, we were safely on the road and away from the school, I flicked my mirror up at Carly, who looked to have calmed slightly now that she was away from that place. Still, her visor was down and I couldn't see anything.

"Did he get to you?" I asked Carly quietly.

A sigh, "A little bit... I don't even know why, but when he told me to leave, and when he got a bit close, I just... I just knew I had to go."

" _ **'Swept, hold up. Jack has something he needs to tell Carly.**_ "

At the private message I received from Arcee, I slowed down on the road, pulling to the side slightly, "Arcee and Jack are on their way. And Jack needs to talk to you apparently."

Carly froze for a second before she nodded slightly, loosening up in the seat. Then she looked down at me, flickering her visor down, "'Swept, I don't think I should've left. Vince wanted to talk to Jack and whatever it was, it didn't sound good."

"You need to settle down, Carly," I told her softly. Truth was, I'm glad that Carly had backed down when Vince had told her to leave. I didn't want her to keep her guard up and get in his way. I was worried by the fact that Vince seemed like a loose nut that could lose control any second. So to have Carly step away instead of pushing the matter, it made me proud of her.

My brown-haired human friend took a breath in, closing her eyes before releasing her breath. Eyes opening, a small smile appeared on her face, "Yeah, maybe I do need to settle. I guess my feelings for Jack are reaching breaking point."

I could sense that Carly was feeling a little bit better now. Which was a huge relief for me. She makes me worry so much sometimes.

Arcee revved her engines behind us, causing Carly to flicker her visor up and me to pull back onto the road.

"You're going to WHAT?" Arcee screeched suddenly as she caught up to us.

"What's happening?" Carly asked, looking over at Jack.

"Vince invited him down to some sort of secret racing organisation late tonight," Arcee growled, "And Jack accepted the offer."

What?!

"I don't know! I had no choice!" Jack immediately protested, "Sierra was standing right there!"

"You always have a choice, Jack," Arcee argued.

"And what part of 'just this once' did you not understand?" I questioned him with a growl.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Don't you start apologising to me, Jack. It's Carly you have to apologise to."

"What?" Carly and I immediately questioned.

Jack sighed beside us, looking over at Carly, "Please let me explain before you get mad."

"Just tell me what's going on, Jack," Carly asked worriedly.

"Vince and I made a bet. He said that if I beat him and win tonight, he'll leave you alone. But if I lose on even one signal account, he said that you had to spend the night with him. No arguments."

Carly's grip tightened on the handlebars so hard, even I could feel the fury radiating off her. But she wasn't the only who was angry. Because I was too. How dare Jack put Carly on the line like that! How dare he!

"Jack, when we get to base, you better run like hell," I warned him angrily.

"I-I'm sorry, 'Swept but I only took up the chance so Vince would leave Carly alone!" Jack protested, "And since Arcee and I won easily last time, there's almost no way that we can lose this time."

Wait a second.

Wait a fraggin second.

Jack agreed on the bet so he could win AND get Vince to leave Carly alone?!

"Sounds like someone cares about Carly a little more than normal," I sing-songed.

The boy didn't even flinch when I said that. He only looked over at Carly, whose eyes were locked straight on the road, not even showing any emotion. Come on, Carly. I won't say anything if you let a small tear. Just to show any emotion! Any at all!

Jack looked back at Arcee, "We're on, right?"

Arcee's response?

"We are not on."

"It's just a stupid little bet, Jack," Carly whispered, her voice being all over the place so well that I couldn't pick up on the true emotion that she was feeling, "Whether you go tonight or not, the bet doesn't mean a single thing."

Arcee's call was right. We weren't going down this path. It would only get worse from here if we do ... But despite Carly's comment, I knew deep down that Vince's 'stupid little' bet didn't sound like a joke. The way he confronted Carly earlier didn't help me think differently.

Jack needed to go down to that circuit tonight to win this bet. And I knew just the person to help him.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

It was a nice evening for a drive. The sun was beginning to set on the day, white clouds that were rolling in were turning into a pink-blueish colour. The red Aston Martin driving down the road was travelling peacefully underneath the clouds, as if he was waiting for something to happen.

" _ **Knock Out, Slipstream's been looking for you. Where did you go?**_ " Breakdown asked over the comms.

"Out for a little drive. I just roll from town to town sniffing around until…" The sound of a honking vehicle made him look to his mirrors, spotting a purple flame-decorated vehicle speeding past him. "...The next opportunity presents itself."

Switching off his comm-link, the Decepticon flicked around with the gears, speeding up behind to follow the fast vehicle that had just whizzed past him.

Following him into Jasper, Nevada.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"No way Windswept! There is no way I'm going out there to race!"

So... my idea of attempting to convince Sunburst to take Arcee's place and race against Vince with Jack was not turning out the way I wanted it to. Sunburst was a loyal mech who stuck by any sort of rule very, very closely. He's been able to follow every rule, just about every command he's been given for years. He certainly wasn't going to give up who he was.

But in this case, I'm becoming desperate.

Arcee had stormed off to the training to cool down. She was angry with Jack that he agreed to the race tonight. And yeah, I didn't blame her, but she didn't really understand what was happening. This is MY human friend, a sweet, innocent girl that I was becoming so close with, and she was caught in the middle of a bet that could turn seriously bad if we don't do something about it.

And since Optimus had returned from patrol earlier today, Arcee had easily found a sparring partner who could handle her rage.

I saw Raf, who was playing a video game with Miko, crash the car he was racing at Sunburst's yelling, probably becoming distracted by our arguing. He, Miko, Bulkhead and Aquastrike weren't getting themselves into the situation I was having with Sunburst. But Miko was seriously willing to after hearing about the bet.

Apparently, Vince always follows through with a lot of things.

"Sunburst, please! No one else will go!" I practically begged to my brother, gripping his arm tightly, "You're the only one I know who can do this!"

"Hey I didn' wanna ge' involved! I didn' say t'at I was up to t'e task!" Aquastrike protested.

I looked at her with hope shining in my eyes, "So you'll go and race with Jack?!"

Aquastrike shook her head rapidly, backing away and raising her arms up, "Uh-uh! If Ol' Prime finds out we broke t'em rules, he'll kill us!"

"I can handle him," I shrugged.

No I can't, but that wasn't important.

"Well if you want Jack to go down there and race so badly, why don't you go?!" Sunburst asked.

"As far as Vince is concerned, I'm Carly's motorcycle. If he see's me down there at all tonight, he'll think something's up and be more determined to win this bet." That, and I didn't wanna race. I didn't want to lose.

I looked down at Carly on the bottom step of the stairs heading up the area for the humans. She wasn't really talking to anyone. But she was paying attention. I could see her little ears twitch now and then.

"So how am I gonna bet Vince without Arcee or any other vehicle?!" Jack asked with a panicked tone.

"Sunburst!" Miko called, making him face her at the human area, "Jack's got two things to do tonight!" Bulkhead and Aquastrike walked up to stand behind Sunburst, eager to hear what Miko had to say, "He's gotta beat the bully AND get the girl down there!" Miko pointed down to where Carly was before looking up to Jack, who was about to protest. But she jabbed him in the chest, "Don't you lie to me, Jackson Darby! I seen how you two behave around each other! Lovesick puppies who won't reveal their feelings for one another!"

Jack suddenly began racing down the steps towards Carly, barely slipping past her when he reached her at the bottom of the steps. He bent down and snatched her hands in his tightly, "Carly, I know you kinda hate me right now... but I also know that you don't... It seems that I have a choice to either tell you or not to tell you." He took a breath in the pause. "But I like you Carly. I really, really like you. And I would really like to tell you why, but right now isn't the time. I have to win this race tonight so Vince can leave you alone."

Awwwhhh, man Jack! You go dude!

"Awwwwhhhhh!" Miko and Aquastrike chorused before looking at each weirdly, surprised at their reactions.

Even Bulkhead gave them weird looks.

But Carly didn't react.

I looked up at Sunburst with pleading eyes, "Come on Sunshine. Please!"

Sunburst looked at me for a moment, keeping his arms locked in front of his chassis. Then, he let out a sigh, his arms falling by his sides, "Fine!" My brother pointed at me teasingly. "But if I get caught tonight, you owe me big time."

I nodded eagerly, "Anything you want!"

"I mean it, Windswept," Sunburst warned before transforming into his Ferrari Enzo near Jack and Carly.

Jack just sighed down below us, not getting any response out of my charge. He stood to full height and allowed her hands to slip out of his, turning and going to walk over to Sunburst.

Well, he would've done so had Carly not suddenly rushed towards him, spinning him back around and kissing him passionately.

The base erupted in cheers of the two, especially Miko and Aquastrike. I just smirked at the pair of them.

Who knew Carly had _that_ in her?

She pulled away from the stunned Jack slowly, her brown eyes opening and looking at the boy a little too lovingly.

"I really like you too, and you don't have to fight for me," she said softly at him. Then she patted him on the shoulders, "But I'm not going to date a loser. So go win this race!"

The race was on!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The Yellow Ferrari Enzo XX Evolution 2009 arrived to the track with its' passenger inside. Said passenger, Jack Darby, looked around at the vehicles and drivers that had been waiting around for the start of the racing. The racer's girlfriends hung themselves over their boyfriends, wishing them luck and telling them to win this upcoming race or they would be going home alone at the end of the night. Above, the sky was nearly pitch black, the moon was full and the clouds began rolling in.

Perfect setting for a race.

Sunburst smirked to himself as he looked at all the surrounding humans looked up from their conversations, looking at his vehicle form with their jaws on the floor and their eyes as wide as dinner-plates.

They would've been asking themselves who this guy in the vehicle was, what was a fancy vehicle like this pulling up for a race, and where did he get a ride like that!

Jack rolled down the window, looking over at the familiar face in the black flame-decorated vehicle beside him with a smirk. Spotting the Ferrari out of the corner of his eye, Vince looked over at it, gaping at the sight of none other than Jackson Darby sitting in the vehicle.

"Bike's in the shop," Jack shrugged, resting his arm on the door.

Vince smirked: now this was a real race!

Looking back in front of him, Jack found the teenage girl known as Sierra walking up in front of them, waving and smiling innocently at him. Jack smiled back, but not as wide as he normally would smile. The girl just didn't really sparkle in his eyes like she used.

But he had found someone who did. Someone who didn't _just_ sparkle...

" _ **Circuit drivers, are you ready? Make it mean but keep it clean! Fire 'em up in 5…4…3...**_ "

As the countdown continued, Sunburst failed to spot a certain red Aston Martin pull up behind him.

" _ **2…1!**_ "

The countdown had finished. Sierra's hand flew down as the green flag.

The race had began.

Vince grabbed the lead early into the first corner, but it wasn't long before the drifting form of Sunburst was at his side at the next corner, attempting to grab the lead off him. The other racers behind didn't matter. It was a race between Jack and Vince. And they had a score to settle.

But really, they should've been paying attention to the red Aston Martin trailing behind them in third.

"Sunburst."

He pulled over to the side of the struggling driver in black vehicle decorated with orange and yellow flames. Once he managed to get halfway past the vehicle, he began ramming into the side of Vince.

Sunburst checked his rear-view mirror at the sounds of cars making significant contact behind him. He growled at the sight, "Oh scrap!"

"What?!" Jack immediately asked, looking over his seat.

As Sunburst turned around the corners, he immediately became angry at the sight of the closing Decepticon behind him, "No good, Decepticon scum!"

Jack looked through the rear-view mirror again, gripping the steering wheel tightly, "Wait. I know that car."

"Yeah, so do I!" Sunburst growled, taking the wheel off Jack and suddenly veering right, driving himself along the wall of the track. He checked the mirror again, watching as his enemy followed him up, "Go away Knock Out. Now's not the time to stir me up!"

Jack looked in the rear-view mirror before he looked over his shoulder to get a better look at the sight he thought he saw.

Knock Out had his weapons activated and was about to shoot at them.

Blaster fire quickly began being shot from the red Decepticon vehicle, each shot missing the Autobot vehicle's form. Then he began firing a few more and changing his aim, this shooting all around the Autobot, who continued to dodge the blaster fire.

"We gotta get out of here!" Sunburst decided, driving further up the wall and over the edge, flying through the air for a few moments.

Vince watched in disbelief as Jack's vehicle suddenly drove off the wall and in the air. His eyes were glued onto the second vehicle, watching it follow the Ferrari over the wall, "What the?"

That was not part of the race, let alone the circuit.

Safely landing on the ground, Sunburst quickly skidded around and onto the road, driving as fast he could to get away from the following red Decepticon behind him. He continued dodging the blaster fire that still being shot from the Aston Martin, swerving left and right on the road.

"Can you lose him, Sunburst?" Jack asked nervously.

"Maybe!" Sunburst quickly answered, "But I can only hold him off so long, Jack!"

"I hope that means yes anyway," Jack groaned, "Cause I'd rather not call base for back-up."

"Yeah, neither do I!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Aquastrike, Bulkhead, Carly and I watched excitedly as Miko and Raf engaged in a fierce video game battle, racing their cars and crashing into each other to try and win. Since Sunburst and Jack had left, Carly had perked up a bit more after her little make-out session – Miko's words, not mine – with the boy.

"Anyone seen Jack? ... or my other sparring partner Sunburst?"

Uh-oh.

We all froze in place, including Carly, Miko and Raf, causing the latter two to pause their game to face Arcee.

"Not since..." Miko trailed off, trying to come up with a plausible answer that Arcee would believe.

"...We last saw him about half an hour ago!" Carly finished, her voice shaking with laughter and practically giving away the fact that we knew where the boys were.

Arcee took one look at all our frozen frames and bodies before a scowl appeared on her faceplates, "…they're racing, aren't they?"

"Just this once," Raf answered nervously, holding up a single finger to prove the sentence.

"Did you three know about this?" Arcee asked, looking at Aquastrike, Bulkhead and I

"No!" Bulkhead answered straight away, looking away from Arcee.

Aquastrike thinned her lips, obviously scared by the smaller femme, "Maybe…"

"A little," I finally mumbled, smiling a nervous smile.

Arcee sighed at us in disappointment, but before she could even growl, beeping from the controls caused us to look up. I walked over to the controls, looking at the signal of an incoming transmission by Sunburst. Immediately I knew that something was wrong. The time was saying that it was a little past eleven – too early for that race to have finished.

" _ **Guys, we have a big problem!**_ " Sunburst announced urgently over to comms, " _ **Knock Out appeared at the race track and now is on our tails!**_ "

Knock Out?! Damn it! Why did have to be him of all Decepticons?!

"You're being chased by Knock Out?" Raf repeated, trying to recognise the name.

" _ **Yep! Guys we need urgent back up before I get my servos around his neck cables!**_ " My brother growled, his voice also pleading for help.

"That sounds like a Decepticon," Miko remarked.

"It is," I answered gravely, looking back up at his profile image on the screen, "Sunburst, you need to calm down. He is not worth the fight, okay? We're on our way."

"Your first priority is to keep Jack safe." As Arcee began walking to the entry and exit tunnel, we could hear her mumbling something under her breath, "Until I get my hands on him."

Aquastrike shared a nervous glance with Bulkhead while I gulped.

Never **ever** mess with Arcee when she's pissed.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The chase continued. Knock Out continued to fire his blaster shots at the yellow and white-striped Ferrari Enzo before him. But he was beginning to realise that his blasters weren't good enough. He needed to change tactics before the Autobot managed to get away.

Sunburst had realised a similar thing. He needed to find away throw Knock Out off his tail before he failed to swerve out of the way of one of the incoming blaster shots and hurt Jack in the process. Arcee would kill him if he did!

Well... she was going to kill him anyway once she and the team would arrive as back-up, but still!

He needed to play this game differently. He needed to play the game a bit dirtier. So he began pouring oil out the back of his vehicle form. It left a huge trail of black liquid all over his side of the road. He smirked to himself, watching in hidden glee as the tires on Knock Out's vehicle form didn't agree with liquid, almost instantly spinning out of control.

Much to the Decepticon's dismay, growling as he finally escaped the oil under his tires.

"Slick," Jack commented with a smirk, looking over his shoulder.

Spotting a bridge ahead of him, Sunburst instantly came up with a plan while Knock Out was distracted behind him. He drove back down onto the wall of the circuit, quickly falling back onto the flat pavement and reversing underneath the bridge. He switched off his headlights and hoped that Knock Out would've been to distracted to have seen them.

The red Aston Martin drove onto the bridge, slowing to a halt and switching off his headlights. Sunburst was around here somewhere. But where was he?

The trio waited in silence, each trying to figure out who was going to make the first move. Was going to be Sunburst and Jack, who were well aware of the fact that Knock Out was sitting there waiting for them to reappear? Or was it going to be Knock Out, who wasn't aware of the fact that the Autobot was sitting right underneath his own nose-plates?

The answer was Knock Out. The red Aston Martin restarted his engines and pulled on his gears, driving off the bridge to continue his search for the Autobot.

"I think we lost him, Sunburst," Jack whispered.

The sounds of an engine revving into Sunburst's audio receptors convinced the yellow and white-striped Ferrari Enzo vehicle otherwise. He looked in front of them, finding nothing but headlights shining closer and closer on his form. The black vehicle decorated with orange and yellow flames pulled up in front of his form.

"We may have lost Knock Out, but not this kid," Sunburst muttered.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me!" Jack moaned as Vince hopped out his car and slammed the door shut.

"Darby!" The boy growled, pounding his closed fist into the palm of his hand.

Knock Out, meanwhile, slammed on the brakes at the sight of something bright appearing in his vision from behind. Twitching his side mirror, he pointed it at the bridge he had just passed, seeing a bright yellow light shining on something below the bridge. Curious, he began reversing back to the bridge, wondering what was going on down below...

"Vince! You have to get out of here!" Jack pleaded, "You win! Congratulations! Now go!"

Vince didn't take no for an answer, punching Sunburst's hood, "No. Start 'er back-up, loser. We're finishing this race! Don't wanna take it to the finishing line? Fine! Then we've got something to settle right here regarding a certain friend of yours! Right now!" The boy was suddenly cut off when something black grabbed the human.

"Knock Out!" Sunburst growled.

Vince was thrown up into the air by the Decepticon, the latter transforming into his vehicle form. As the boy landed into the passenger side of the car, the roof came over, fully completing Knock Out's transition from a Cybertronian robot to a simple Aston Martin vehicle. Seatbelts snaked around Vince, trapping him in place while he tried to figure out what was happening around him.

"What's going on?!" That was all Vince got to say before an Energon zapper floated into his view, his eyes widening, Mumbling at the sight, that was all Vince got to do before blue electricity cackled from the zapper and towards him. This knocked him into unconsciousness, falling forwards in his seat.

Knock Out refired his engines and took off, satisfied with his capture. He failed to spot the raven-haired boy running after him, watching him disappear in the distance.

"Breakdown, you'll never guess what I'm packing!" Knock Out gushed excitedly, continuing his travels the down the highway, "Sunburst's human friend! And knowing him, he'll attempt to stage a rescue! And when he attempts his rescue..."

" _ **He'll have a... BREAKDOWN!**_ " Breakdown finished, chuckling at the thought.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Something was definitely going on. When Arcee, Bulkhead, Aquastrike and I began approaching Sunburst's position Jack was standing out on the middle of the road, starring at something that had just taken off in front of us. Sunburst had just pulled onto the road from under the bridge and parked behind him. The boy turned around and began yelling something about honking once for bad news and honking twice for good news.

Arcee began honking at him, causing him to look at us as we pulled up. Sunburst, now aware of us coming to their rescue, transformed just before we all did, looking down at Jack. Poor thing looked like a scared little puppy when he saw all of us.

"Jack, we need to have a little chat," Arcee began angrily, putting her hands on her hips.

"Later, Arcee. Vince got snatched by that slick sports car 'Con!" Jack told us worriedly.

"Now what would cause Knock Out to go 'nd take t'at human boy?" Aquastrike asked in confusion.

"He probably mistook him for Sunburst's human friend. I'm not even Sunburst's human friend!" Jack babbled in a panic, "I don't know. It doesn't matter why they took him! Vince is in trouble!"

"Oh well. Tough break for Vince," Bulkhead shrugged carelessly, causing all of us to glare at him.

"Bulkhead!" Jack yelled at the mech.

"Bulkhead ain't wron', Jack!" Aquastrike instantly defended her friend, "T'at guy is a scrap-stirrin' jerk 'nd a half!"

"Aquastrike, watch your language around the humans!" Sunburst warned. He only got a hand waving him off as a response.

"No argument there, Aquastrike," Jack agreed, "But the guy is also innocent! Vince doesn't deserve to get crushed by 'Cons!"

Arcee stayed silent, continuing her angry glare at Jack. I didn't blame her really. Jack went behind her back and raced ... well, he only got to race because I practically forced Sunburst to race when Arcee wouldn't.

I guess on this was on me at the end of the day. But I needed to protect Carly ... Maybe I should've stayed out of all this mess.

Ughhhhh!

Arcee's glare softened before she transformed into her motorcycle form beside me. "Hop on," She said to Jack, revving up her engine and turning on her headlights.

It's a shame that Vince **is** a human, though. But oh well.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

After the Autobots had left to go provide Sunburst and Jack back up, Raf, Carly and Miko were instantly at the computers, checking the screens occasionally and making sure that their friends were okay. But the longer the Autobots took to check in, the more worried Carly became.

"They should've check in by now." The brown-haired girl was pacing behind Miko and Raf. "What's taking them?!"

"Don't worry, Carly," Miko told her, pressing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder and pausing her in her pacing, "Bulkhead won't let anything happen to the guys!"

Before Carly could answer her best friend, the noise of heavy footsteps from the corridor began seeping its' way into hers, Miko's and Raf's ears. Turning around at the sound, the three humans froze at who they found appearing from the corridor.

Optimus Prime.

"We should just tell Optimus the truth!" Raf whispered to the girls.

"Absolutely not!" Miko hissed back.

"We made a deal!" Carly's eyes watched the Prime's approaching form, "Just act natural!"

"Raf, Miko, Carly," Optimus greeted, looking around the main room before resting his optics on the three humans, "Do either of you know where the others have gone?"

"Why no, sir. We do not know," Miko answered robotically, a sign that she was indeed lying.

"Miko is correct. We don't know," Raf agreed nervously, looking away from the Prime.

"Why would we know?" Miko asked innocently, looking up at the Autobot leader.

Optimus simply starred at the three humans. Carly could tell that he knew something wasn't right. And if the eyebrow raise and small hum the Autobot gave in response to them wasn't enough to convince her of that, she didn't know what would.

She slapped her forehead into her palm, "So much for 'act natural'."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The chase for the lone red Decepticon continued into the early hours of the morning. We had split up, Arcee and Jack, Bulkhead and Aquastrike, and Sunburst and I, as we checked all over the place for Knock Out – at the circuit, on the desert roads and all around the outskirts of Jasper. Finally, we met back up in the heart of the town, sticking together as we continued searching for that son of a glitch.

We pulled up at a stop sign just in time to see Knock Out himself scream past us tauntingly. Sunburst and I quickly raced around the corner after him with Bulkhead, Aquastrike, Arcee and Jack behind us.

Knock Out managed to kick up enough speed to keep away from us and skid around the upcoming corner. That was when I knew that we had to split up to keep our guard on that Decepticon before he got way from us.

"Be on you guard, Sunburst, Aquastrike and Bulkhead," I warned to them, "Could be a trap."

"And remember, no shooting!" Jack reminded the trio.

Then I pointed my mirror at Sunburst, "And keep yourself under control, mister."

"What? Me?" Sunburst scoffed in disbelief, "This may be Knock Out we're trailing after, but I do not intend on breaking any more rules tonight." He, Aquastrike and Bulkhead drove forwards while Arcee pulled to the side behind me. I paused, waiting for her to rejoin so we could go after Knock Out together.

"Speaking of safety, here's where you get off."

As soon as Jack had gotten off Arcee's motorcycle form, we sped after our teammates. While they pulled into the industrial area and transformed, Arcee and I pulled up at a water tower, transformed and began scaling up it just in case we had to pull a surprise attack on Knock Out or anyone else he brought to this party.

Bulkhead, Aquastrike and Sunburst continued wandering and looking around, their weapons activated and ready to attack at any time. But as soon as they got to the other side of the parking lot, a bright light enveloped them. It was actually so bright that even Arcee and I had to shield our optics to keep our optics clear.

A large crashing sound forced me to look back to see Breakdown and Moonlight charge through the corner of a warehouse and towards my teammates. They dodged the sudden charge just in time, splitting in all different directions as the battle slowly heated up.

Aquastrike charged after Moonlight, immediately throwing punches at her while Breakdown and Sunburst did the same, the 'Con smashing him away. Bulkhead then jumped into the fight, exchanging punches with Breakdown before Breakdown got the better of him. Meanwhile, Aquastrike had grabbed a hold of Moonlight and chucked her into the warehouse, trailing in after her.

Then Arcee suddenly leaped on top of Knock Out, slamming a punch onto his hood.

"HEY! WATCH THE PAINT!" Knock Out growled at us before driving off with Arcee still on his roof.

I immediately knew Arcee would be needing back up. So I leaped down from the water tower, threw a few punches at a stumbling Moonlight and transformed into my vehicle form to race after Knock Out and Arcee.

Knock Out quickly drove onto the road that Jack had been dropped off at before skidding to the left, the move making Arcee fly off his roof. I kicked up speed and raced after him, driving as fast as I could while Arcee transformed and began catching up to us.

I couldn't let him get away from me. I was not going to let him get away. He needed to know how I felt when he took me and Sunburst hostage, stabbed me in the stomach and left me for dead.

I wanted him to be in the position he left me in, dying on the floor and crying for someone helplessly.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Breakdown charged at Aquastrike angrily, raising his arms to hit the Autobot. She leaped out of the way just as he got close to her, slamming his arms onto the pavement instead. Sunburst stood on the other side, waiting for his turn. He dodged the first swing, but was unable to dodge the elbow he got to the face. He flew into the air, taking an oblivious Aquastrike, who had been distracted by an approaching Moonlight, with him. They landed hard on the pavement a few feet from each other.

While the two Decepticons began walking up to the weakened Autobots, they received a comm from their missing friend, " _ **Uh, in case you two're looking for me, things got messy. So I hit the road. One scream is enough for today.**_ "

"Thanks for inviting us to the fun," Moonlight thanked, grabbing her knife and ready to strike the Autobot below her.

The two Decepticons were distracted by Bulkhead tampering with a light post behind them, the light flashing on and off. The former Wrecker was able to distract them long enough for him to take a surprise swing at the pair, smashing them into the row of storage rooms behind them.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The chase continued between Knock Out and Arcee and myself as we continued to race after the Decepticon with the human boy. He was teasing us, slowing down purposely out of the corners so we could get a run on him. But then he would speed up rapidly. I groaned at how close we were to him. How much of a chance we had to catch him only for the Decepticon to race out of our grips!

Arcee growled beside me, also well aware of Knock Out's fun little game.

Well to us, it was most certainly not fun.

Sunburst, Bulkhead and Aquastrike slowly began appearing in our mirrors just as the familiar horn honking on the other side of us made me and Arcee nearly freeze in fear.

"Uh-oh."

Optimus appeared from the other side of the rock formations splitting us, pulling onto the road and 'gently' nudging Knock Out to the side. This caused the 'Con to spin out of control, kicking up dust while trying to regain control of himself. He ended up on the ledge at the other side of the road.

Something he couldn't drive out of this time.

Optimus skidded to a halt, transforming and approaching the stricken vehicle ... Scrap, does he even know that there's a human in that car?!

" _ **Optimus, Knock Out has a hostage,**_ " Arcee warned.

" _ **Understood.**_ "

Optimus picked up the red vehicle with ease, ripping off the driver's side door and ignoring Knock Out's screams as he reached into the vehicle and pulled Vince out of him. Once the unconscious boy was safely in Optimus' servo, Knock Out immediately transformed out of the Prime's hold on him and inspected the damage that had been done.

"Do you know how hard that is to replace?!"

Was Knock Out seriously considering fighting Optimus all because a piece of his vehicle form was ripped off?! He seriously looked like he was ... but then he got a look at at us coming up behind Optimus...

And decided to run like the scared little boy he was.

He transformed and retreated as fast as he could. Arcee, Bulkhead, Aquastrike and I transformed and walked up behind Optimus.

Jack stuck his head out from Sunburst's vehicle form nervously, "Optimus, this is my fault."

"We must get this boy to safety. Explanations can come later…from all of you."

We all looked away, not willing to see just the anger but the disappointment in his optics.

Sunburst revved his engine beside me, "Optimus, if I may." Don't do it, Sunshine... "This isn't just Jack's fault. It's also m-"

"My fault!" I cut in before Sunburst could get another word out. Optimus narrowed his optics at me and I felt myself nearly slink away from him, "I-I-I'll explain to you back at base..."

It didn't matter what was going to happen next. We were all in trouble, no matter who pointed fingers and said this or that. We were, as a collective group, in some deep scrap.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

When Vince woke up hours later, he awoke with a start, trying to figure out where he was. ... All he remembered was that something had taken him... something huge... And he remembered being in a vehicle. He looked around suddenly.

This wasn't the vehicle he remembered he was in.

And Jack wasn't there before.

"What happened?"

"Some guys... jumped you under the bridge," Jack answered slowly, his eyes switching from the road to the passenger beside him, He was gripping the steering wheel tightly. "They... tossed you into their trunk." He laughed slightly, "Must have been some kind of initiation."

"Really?" Vince asked innocently.

Jack widened his eyes. Did Vince actually believe his little white lie? Did Vince also believe that he was actually driving and not the car itself?

"Yeah. I found you knocked out by the side of the road."

Neither of them got a chance to say more as they pulled up on the bridge where the familiar black and orange-flammed vehicle was parked underneath. It was still resting where it was when Vince had pulled up to deal with Jack hours ago.

If only he remembered that.

The boy opened the door, watching it fly upwards slowly. He hopped out and swung the door back down, looking through the passenger window.

"Look, I-I gotta be honest. After what I saw tonight, I'm thinking racing isn't my thing," Jack decided.

Vince bent down slightly to look down properly through the window, resting his arm on the roof of the car, "I hear ya, Darby... Hard to win a race driving a pedal car!"

Sunburst snarled silently. That was it! He pressed down on the gas and sped away from the boy, deciding that enough was enough for one night.

"Now I can understand why you guys don't like him so much."

How dare that boy call him a pedal car!

* * *

"KNOCK OUT! Was I not clear? You have defied my orders yet again!"

When Knock Out had returned to the Decepticon warship with Breakdown and Moonlight with him, he had expected to be let off with a severe warning from Slipstream, well aware of the fact that Starscream had gone out on his scouting mission and hadn't returned. So, he first thought he would be let off the hook.

And then the figure waiting for him at the controls turned around and revealed themselves to be Starscream.

"My mistake, Commander Starscream," Knock Out immediately began, "But I've learned my lesson…and paid the price." He held his wrist where his missing piece of armour was.

"It…is…LORD!" Starscream screeched, taking a few steps towards the vain Decepticon, "And you have paid when I SAY you have paid." He revealed one simple finger, the end of it sparkling with its' sharpness, "Not worry. Your punishment shall be merely…cosmetic."

"No! Not the finish!" Knock Out immediately protested, stepping away from his Lord, "Anything but the finish!"

Breakdown and Moonlight had to close their eyes at the sounds of screeching metal, their audio receptors cringing as Knock Out's nightmare started to become true.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

...I wasn't wrong when I said that we were in some serious scrap.

End of story, moving on.

Arcee and I waited for Jack and Carly, getting the most out of the fresh air around us while we could before we were to spend the rest of the afternoon back at base. And pretty much every single day for the next few weeks from now on.

Jack and Carly approached us, helmets in hand and ready to head off to base to deal with their side of their punishment when Sierra appeared behind them.

"Hey Carly, Jack." The two looked behind them at the girl.

After exchanging a look, Carly looked at the girl nervously, "H-Hey Sierra."

"I'm sorry that I've been a cow to you recently," Sierra began, looking sincere and shrugging at the girl, "We all grow up I guess, some of us more than others."

Was she serious?!

Carly cocked her head to the side with a small smile, "I-It's okay, Sierra. I guess I may have let my jealousy over you and Jack get the better of me."

"Speaking of, you don't mind if your boyfriend allows me a ride on his motorcycle?" Sierra asked, looking between the two nervously.

"Well, I can't speak for him so you're gonna have to ask him yourself," Carly answered, looking at Jack, or her new boyfriend I should be saying, with a shrug before looking back at the girl, "But that doesn't mean that you get to allow yourself to get your little hooks in him, alright?"

Sierra took a step back, nodding, "Oh, I'm not going to do that Carly. You two are too cute for me to tear apart."

While Carly smiled slightly at the response, Sierra turned her attentions to Jack.

"So, Jack. Do you have time for that ride?"

Jack looked over his shoulder at Arcee's motorcycle form, "I'm sorry, Sierra. I can't right now."

Look who's finally learned his lesson.

"No problem. I guess I'll just see you around," Sierra shrugged sadly with a wave and walked away.

Arcee started up her engines and drove over to us, "Hop on."

"Whoa. Really?" Jack asked.

"Just this once," Arcee emphasized.

So Sierra got her little bike ride with Jack and, unbeknownst to her, Arcee. And Carly and I, also unbeknownst to her, tagged along for the fun, racing down the main street. It looks like everything's going to be okay – Carly and Sierra look like they could become friends.

Then I remembered the fact that we all had a price to pay for the parts we all played during the last couple of days.

Ohhhhh scrap.

* * *

Another chapter in the books. Next one's an original and hopefully a good one.

Hoping that a follow, favourite or a review might get me onto bringing the next one out a lot earlier than later.

Thank you for reading.

( **Last edited: 11/07/2019** )


	13. Chpt 13: Tales of War (O)

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

This chapter would've been up a few days earlier had I not got called in for extra work days. The editing part of the writing is where it slows me down sometimes, especially today where I've got a bandaged finger from work (sorry for any errors!). But I get it done for you guys.

Thank you to Wowdeshal for favouriting and following this story. Yay we've hit 10 followers and 11 favourites! Thank you guys so much for your support! And to Mia Prime, I'm sorry for not actually responding to your review - you gave an idea for this story, and while I appreciate it, unfortunately I already have my own storyline for those characters. And I think this chapter may answer the next question of why.

This chapter takes place during Predatory, the one where Arcee and Jack run into Airachnid in case some of you forgot the scenario for that episode. I felt it didn't make sense to add more characters to a storyline that didn't need reworking so I created my own to explain what everyone else was up to during it.

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept and the other OC's belong to me.

* * *

The sun was at its highest point, beaming down on me to indicate that it was now midday. I smiled at the warmth, breathing in and closing my optics. At least it was something warm and bright.

Something that Optimus was the total opposite of when he had found out what half the team, including me, got up to a few weeks ago.

Long story short, Arcee and I were really in the most trouble. Arcee because she agreed to race in the first place, starting up the whole ordeal. And I because I had allowed her to go and race as well as practically beg Sunburst to race when Arcee decided that enough was enough. So we were banned from leaving base except for going to pick up Jack and Carly from school or their homes and dropping them off at school or at their homes. But that was it. no scouting missions, nothing. Except for extra patrol duty, accompanied by Optimus of course...

Bulkhead, Aquastrike and Sunburst weren't allowed out of base for any scouting missions for about a week, the first two having only had some sort of knowledge of it and Sunburst kind of being an innocent party. I took full responsibility for Sunburst as part of our agreement that I owed him big time.

Jack, Carly, Miko and Raf were banned from playing video games for about two weeks at base. Instead, they were forced to take a Cybertronian History Class taught by the proud Ratchet. But the poor medic was exhausted by the end of it and wasn't as proud as he had been at the start of it.

We kind of understand how Miko now gets herself into detention quite often.

But Jack and Carly were also banned from talking to Vince or Sierra or any other punk kid who asked for a race. But they didn't really mind that rule. Vince had decided to back off altogether on the pair and Sierra and Carly had put aside their differences slightly.

Though, very, very slightly.

But at least Carly wasn't muttering words that she shouldn't have been about the cheerleader any more.

Anyway, things were getting back on track. Half the bans had been lifted off and as soon as a scouting mission appeared, Arcee was quick to jump at the chance, and took Jack with her to scout about an hour ago. The Cybertronian history classes had ended for the humans and they were allowed to play video games to their hearts content.

And I was finally free to get out of base.

But I didn't really get too far to be honest. I was sitting on the roof of the base, allowing the sun to lighten up my armour where my red and blue armour colour was starting to fade slightly.

Time for a new coat of armour polish, I reckon.

I turned around at the noise of the roof folding away to reveal a large circular hole. Someone must have been coming up the elevator. At first I was nervous that it was going to be Optimus, ready to tell me that I had let him down once again.

I was surprised by how much Optimus was disappointed in me when we got back to base that night and explained to him the whole ordeal. He wasn't angry at us as such, but rather quite disappointed. But after the storytelling was done and we split off to do various tasks ordered to us by him, Optimus had held me back and said that we expected better out of us, especially me.

I've been a bit down by the fact that I let Optimus down. I wanted to follow in his footsteps as this war went on. I wanted to become a leader, a commander. I wanted to help lead the Autobots to victory, stand proudly beside Optimus when we would finally beat the Decepticons and declare this war over.

But since a few weeks ago, that hope that maybe one day I could stand beside the Autobot leader and be proud of the team we lead to victory was slowly slipping out of view the longer Optimus stayed disappointed.

I shook my helm to remove those thoughts from my helm as a few familiar faces appeared from the elevator.

"When Optimus said that you were free to go do whatever, he really did mean it, 'Swept," Starlight teased as she walked off the elevator platform.

Bumblebee and Starlight had enjoyed the fact that they had stayed out of all the trouble while they were on, what turned out to be, their three day scouting mission with Ratchet. They were already pretty chuffed about the fact that they had found an entire untouched mine of Energon during their scouting. So when they came back to hear about the action they had missed during their time away, Bumblebee and Starlight wouldn't let up about it for days!

Even Ratchet was smug about the fact that half of us 'younglings' got ourselves into trouble almost the second he had left.

"Ha ha," I laughed dryly at the smirk on Starlight's lips, "At least I am out of the base and not going stir-crazy any more."

While Bulkhead and Bumblebee exchanged a look of confusion and Carly, Miko and Raf just shrugged, Starlight, Aquastrike and Sunburst cringed at my sentence. They knew that I wasn't wrong. They knew what would happen if you kept me under a roof for too long.

Let's just say that I tend to get a bit snappy.

"Oh come on!" Miko yelled in disbelief on Aquastrike's shoulder, looking around at the trio of Autobots, "You can't be that scared of Bluestreak here?!"

I growled at the nickname Miko had suddenly thought up and given to me. She got bored while being stuck in base one day, took one look at me and began annoying me with questions. And when I wouldn't answer them, she decided to give me the nickname as punishment. Something about the streaks of light blue popping out from the red on my arms and legs?

I wasn't too bothered at first, but the more she says it, the more I started to dislike it. I don't even know why, but something was telling me in my helm that it wasn't the right nickname for me.

Isn't there an Autobot out there called Bluestreak?

"Miko, I said hello to her one day in the training room about a week ago and she challenged me to an all out grudge match," Sunburst explained, looking at Miko worriedly. He twisted to the side, showing a patch of metal just above his hip, large in both height and width, "I lost big time."

... Yeeeeaaahhhhhh, I got a tad carried away. But I was bored and pent up! I had to take my anger out on something that would fight back! ... And unfortunately, Sunburst had been there at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Carly's eyes widened at the sight of the patch on him, looking over at me with an awkward smile and nervous laughter, "Remind me not to annoy the heck out of you any time soon!"

"Ahhh, it's alright," Sunburst shrugged off, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, "She's like my sister. It's what siblings to, right?"

The fact that Sunburst was my brother still hadn't really sunk in yet. I still kept questioning myself if all of it was true. But one day, I saw him nearly collapse in the hallway in pain. When I rushed to help him, he told me that he could feel something through his sparkbond with Whirlwind - the first time in ages! He was angry at himself that he couldn't do anything to help her. Hours later, the pain had passed, but the bond had shut off again before he was able to reach out to my sister. For Sunburst to feel that kind of pain from Whirlwind so suddenly, I was slowly being convinced that what he had said was truth and no lies.

Near Aquastrike's feet, Carly and Raf exchanged a look that was full of nervous smiles, the brown-haired girl rubbing her arm awkwardly.

"Not all siblings, but some."

"Are you kiddin'!" Aquastrike immediately scoffed in disbelief of the sentence, "Wheeljack 'nd I would always greet each ot'er with a 'ard 'hit to the shoulder! Every single time!"

Bulkhead laughed behind her, patting the femme on the shoulder, "I remember that! Poor old Jackie wasn't as strong as you, though!"

Smirking proudly at the comment, Aquastrike help up her arms to show off her muscles, but really, all we could see was just bulky aqua blue armour, "Ahhh, my brother just didn' 'ave the so-called guns that I got!"

At the words, Sunburst looked down at me nervously, "Guns?"

"Oh, it's a term t'at t'e 'umans use to describe t'eir muscles!" Aquastrike explained, setting her arms hanging back down beside her.

I narrowed my optics at her teasingly, "Where'd you get that term from?"

" **Me** ," Bumblebee buzzed guiltily, raising his arm up.

"Something tells me you didn't pick that up off any random human," Starlight scoffed in disbelief, her arms folded as she looked up at Bumblebee.

"He got that off me!" Miko revealed, holding up her arm proudly.

"Jack was trying to show off his 'muscles' to Carly during that Cybertronian 101 crash course," Miko explained, using air quotation marks when she said 'muscles'.

"Don't say it like that!" Carly argued, "Jack's arms may not be that buff, but at least he has something." Then her eyes drifted off like she was thinking about something, sighing dreamily, "His heart makes up for it."

Miko instantly stuck her tongue out at those words, "Arghhh, you guys can't shut up about each other! I go to talk to Jack, and all I get is 'Carly this' or 'Carly that'! I got to talk to Carly and all I get outta her is 'Jack this' or 'Jack that'!"

"Awwww Miko, are you jealous that your friends are spending more time with each other than you?" I teased lightly.

Miko just pouted slightly and crossed her arms on Aquastrike's shoulder, "I never said that."

"You're slouching and speaking about them with a whining tone. Are you sure you're not jealous?" Starlight pointed out with a small smirk.

Miko refused to answer her. Instead, she looked up at me and Sunburst, "So Arcee and Jack have gone Energon hunting, Optimus and Ratchet are busy downstairs, and we're all grouped up here!"

Hmph, that was indeed true. Apart from Jack, Arcee, Optimus and Ratchet, the rest of the entire team was up here, chatting away about all sorts.

It felt slightly comfortable for some reason.

"What are you suggesting, Miko?" Sunburst asked warily as if he knew that the girl's head was already forming a plan. He seemed to think that he knew what that girl was planning, and he didn't look excited about whatever it was.

"Nothing..." Miko sing-songed in answer, clasping her hands together innocently.

"Hey! Why don' we exchange some good ol' war stories!" Aquastrike suggested suddenly, causing us to all look at her in surprise. She simply shrugged at our faces, "Oh, come on! We all 'ave nothin' better to do! Ot'erwise we wouldn' be chattin' away about random scrap up 'ere!"

"Could be fun," Bulkhead began slowly, looking between Aquastrike and Sunburst and I.

"Yeah, but it could bring up some feelings," Sunburst began to protest, looking down at me, "Feelings that we pushed aside when we left Cybertron..."

"You can go join the boring elder bots downstairs if you're not up to handling some good war tales, Sourshine," Miko huffed, crossing her arms, "I like Aquastrike's idea!"

"Come on 'Swept." I looked down by my feet and found Carly looking up at me innocently, "Just a few stories! Please!"

I was on the fence. Some of the war stories that Sunburst, Aquastrike, Starlight and I were involved in back on Cybertron were painful ones – not all of them, but some of them were quite painful to tell. We had seen horrific injuries and painful deaths, which some of us had to deal with the grief that came after that. We had been tortured, stabbed, left for dead. Some of us even had to battle family who had chosen a different path.

But just because it was all doom and gloom, doesn't mean we allowed it to stay that way. Many of us found the time we spent at Iacon a blessing. We worked together, grew together... we were happy together. We all became some sort of small family that was guiding light through the darkness over the war. There was even one time where Aquastrike and Starlight attempted to pull a small prank on the strict Sunburst... until he discovered the joke and twisted it back on them.

Ha, ha... good times.

I looked around at the group of Autobots and humans who had joined me on the roof. My optics rested on the beaming Aquastrike and Miko and sighed, "Well, if no one else has anything better to do, then we may as well pass the time somehow."

Miko and Aquastrike smiled with glee and began cheering like they had won some sort of little competition. Starlight rolled her optics in amusement while Bulkhead and Bumblebee shrugged at each other.

Sunburst pulled me tighter to his side, "You get upset or angry at anything, let me know and I'll get you out of here."

"Settle down, Sunburst," I whispered back, looking up at him, "This might be a good time to get a few things off our chests and explain a few things." Sunburst narrowed his optics at me. I glared right back, "I can't keep the fact that we're actually brother and sister a secret, Sunshine."

The group had sat down in a circle. Aquastrike was on the opposite side of us, cross-legged and ready to tell a tale. Bumblebee was on her left with Raf and Carly sitting in front of him, then Bulkhead and Miko and Starlight just sitting down beside them. Sunburst and I took our seats between Starlight and Aquastrike, although the former was a little reluctant. I had to drag him over.

"Alright!" Aquastrike grinned, rubbing her servos together excitedly, "Who's gonna go first?!"

"I'll go!" Bulkhead decided eagerly, sitting forwards to prepare himself, "Before Ultra Magnus came, the Wreckers were a collective group of madness. We were trigger happy Autobots eager for a fight. And we got ourselves one when the Stunitcons turned up."

"Them Decepticon scum!" Aquastrike growled, "They were nasty little bugs!"

"At the time Wildrider and Breakdown were part of the unit, who lead the Stunitcons to attack us when we tried to invade the Decepticon side. Wheeljack, Aquastrike, Seaspray and I were ready to pound some serious scrap into them. But one of them attempted a sniper attack from above. So Wheeljack, doing what he does best, activated his grenade and chucked it up above, knocking the sniper out from his post!" Bulkhead explained.

"Good ol' 'one grenade, one shot' Jackie!" Aquastrike chuckled at the fond memory.

"Whose Wildrider?" Miko asked excitedly.

"Wheeljack's arch-enemy. He always thought he could outplay Wheeljack's secret attacks and the 'one grenade, one shot move'. He was that determined in beating Wheeljack, that after a violent attack on him, his spark was forced to be transplanted into a new shell form based from Wheeljack's own form!" Bulkhead told us.

I had only heard of Wildrider by reputation during both my times on the Decepticon and Autobot sides. He preferred to wreak havoc on his own accord and is apparently described as an overly violent, uncooperative Decepticon. Even Megatron had an apparent difficulty in keeping him under control, letting alone give orders to the mech.

"How is that possible?" Carly questioned sceptically, "I mean, this 'Shockwave' person was able to clone Wheeljack's form? Was Wheeljack his prisoner at some point and collected his body form measurements or what?"

"Jackie was previously held prisoner mere 'uman weeks b'fore we battled t'ose Stunticons. We 'ad to perform an emergency rescue on 'im when we heard t'at Shockwave had got 'im," Aquastrike told us, "And t'at wasn' easy. We had to sneak in while Shockwave was busy, get Jackie and sneak back on out! Wreckers do not sneak!"

"I heard that no one really understood the kind of hatred that Wheeljack and Wildrider had for each other," Starlight piped in, "But no one even went to Wheeljack about it to ask."

"You'd get yer 'ead chewed off if ya did!" The aqua blue femme shook her head, biting her denta together as if to prove it.

"Back to the story!" Miko yelled, rolling her head back up to look at Bulkhead.

Bulkhead nodded at her, "After 'Jackie took out the sniper, the Stunticons tried to pull a counter-attack on us. They were angry that we tried to step on their territory and they wanted revenge. So we gave them a real fight."

"And in the end?" Miko asked hopefully, looking between her guardian and the aqua blue femme.

"T'ey took off screamin' like little sparklin's!" Aquastrike smirked.

Miko cheered, "AWESOME!"

The Stunticons had been a fierce force. They were the Wreckers of the Decepticons with no regard for anything. I was sure that if they ever set foot on Earth, the planet would be destroyed in mere moments. I could only pray that we'd never see them on this planet.

"Who's next?!" Miko asked, looking around at us.

"What about you Bee?" Raf asked, spinning around in his seat to look up at the yellow and black striped Autobot.

" **I don't have many stories to tell. I only got to go out on the battlefield a few times before I got my voice-box torn out from me,** " Bumblebee whirred sadly as he picked up his charge and looked at him.

"What'd he say?" Miko asked Carly beside her in a whisper.

"He said that he doesn't have many stories to tell because he got his voicebox torn out after a few missions," Carly whispered back.

Miko nodded, looking up at the scout, "Awwhhh, poor Bee!"

"Bumblebee became very well known for being the Autobot who faced Megatron and got his vocoder ripped out as a response," Sunburst mentioned, depressing the mood further and causing Bumblebee's doorwings to droop. I elbowed Sunburst in his side, looking up at him and giving him a glare. Swallowing, Sunburst looked over at 'Bee nervously, "But Bumblebee's also known for being one of the very few Autobots to come up against Megatron and survive."

Bumblebee's doorwings picked up slightly, but not much. Instead, he shrugged and looked up at us, " **We fight, we get hurt, we recover, we move on.** "

I nodded in agreement, "Absolutely Bumblebee. We can't allow our injuries or the horrors we have faced to hold us back. You haven't and look at you now, 'Bee! You're one of the strongest 'bots on this team!"

Bumblebee's doorwings perked up a bit more, fluttering slightly in excitement. Starlight giggled at his response while the rest of us smiled.

"More war stories! More war stories!" Miko demanded, looking around the rest of us.

"Well it depends," Starlight began, "What kind of war stories do you want to hear from us?"

"I got one!" Raf began, looking up at Sunburst and I, "You guys have this hatred against Knock Out..."

Uh-oh.

"Why?"

It was an innocent question. Honestly that was all it was. But for Sunburst and I, it was more than that. It was the question we both never wanted to be asked. I curled my servos into fists in my lap. Sunburst coughed slightly behind me.

"Raf, I don't think they want to answer that rig-"

"It's fine, Star," Sunburst mumbled, bumping my shoulder with his fist. I looked up at him, finding my shiny optics in the reflection of his, "We can talk about this... right?"

I took a breath. This would be the first time in so long that I've brought up this story. After the ordeal, Sunburst and I refused to discuss it with anyone. They didn't understand how we took to what happened. They didn't understand what we were told, what could've happened to the Autobot war. They all thought that it really wasn't a big deal and that everyone's gone through it.

Well, what we went through was different than what everyone else has had dealt to them.

I looked at the others around us, eager to hear the story. I sighed and finally, I began, "The Decepticons had become quiet during the highest peak of the war. We had not seen any Decepticon drones with bombs for quite some time. Alpha Trion decided to send Sunburst and I on a scout mission to see what the Decepticons might be planning. We accepted the mission and we left early the next day to return before nightfall.

"Sunburst and I were scouting high and low on the edges of Decepticon territory before we eventually moved in onto their side, sifting through parts of Kaon at one point. As nightfall began to descent upon us, Sunburst and I decided to head back... until we found Slipstream and Knock Out conversing with some of the Decepticon scientists regarding a new form of Energon. Something that they believed could change the tide of the war if carried out correctly."

"Windswept and I ranged in on them for surprise attack, despite the argument that we should retreat for back up. But we didn't want to take any risks... Unfortunately, Slipstream must have caught us during the distraction. She and Knock Out had us surrounded and made us become their prisoners. We never made it back to Alpha Trion before nightfall as we had promised," Sunburst continued as I leaned back slightly, resting again his arm, "They had us chained up in a secluded prison where many other Decepticon prisoners were being kept. But some of them were already offline before we could even try to figure out who they were.

"We spent days in torture. Slipstream and Knock Out tortured us for information about anything we knew. Slipstream was dead set on getting more information out of 'Swept and continued to bring more pain onto me, injecting me with Energon shocks. Every time 'Swept refused to give up a piece of information, Slipstream would press a command that would send electrodes through me, electrocuting me to the core.

"About six or seven human days later, Windswept and I were severely weak. We had little Energon left. Not enough to survive another day. We had scratches and small stab wounds on us and our arms were painfully sore from being held up by those bonds. But we still remained strong. We hadn't given up much information – Slipstream and Knock Out weren't aware that we were worked with Alpha Trion so we only gave up information that was either useless to them or information that they already we well aware of."

"Knock Out returned later on the seventh day and began tormenting us about who we knew and our connections to them. He eventually began tormenting us about Whirlwind, describing..." I trailed off and threw my head up to keep the tears from falling down my cheeks.

This was getting really tough now. This bit was probably the toughest of the story.

I looked back down at the Autobots and humans around Sunburst and I, clearing my throat to try to get rid of the emotion within my voice, "He began describing how he would kill her if he ever got the chance. He talked about how he would torture her like Slipstream and him would torture us, but worse... He talked about how he was a medical bot and that he knew what points inside of us would cause such severe damage that it could kill us. He talked about extending her pain out... keeping her alive and just tormenting her to no end."

Sunburst shuddered as he tried to speak, "I reacted and tried to... tried to break free. I only ended up tearing part of my arm. I was too weak to fight." He paused, looking down at me. "But she did. She screamed, broke free of the bonds, and attempted to attack the 'Con. Slipstream got to her before she could get to him, and stabbed her with this black Energon crystal."

"Black Energon was supposed to be the thing that was going to change the entire war. The Decepticons had engineered it with toxin and this black substance that no one knew what it was. No one knew what it could do or how it was used. All they knew was that it could affect the Autobots severely. I would know, I was the test subject... While I gasped and struggled through the pain, Knock Out and Slipstream evacuated from the area and never returned."

"I had to watching her in immense pain. I had to watch my best friend..." Sunburst trailed off, rubbing a few tears that were rolling down my cheeks, "My sister... I had to watch her as she arrived at deaths door before me."

Carly, Miko and Raf were right beside each other, the former's cheeks stained with tears while her Japanese friend and her younger brother had tears shining in their eyes. Aquastrike had looked down at her servos in her lap, fidgeting slightly. Bumblebee and Bulkhead just looked at us sadly. Starlight had her helm in her servos as if she didn't want anyone to see her face.

Sunburst suddenly brightened up. Although not by much, "Thankfully, Aquastrike and her small team of Autobots came to our rescue before Windswept could pass over. We managed to get back to Iacon in time for her to get to the medical bay and back to full health."

I looked up him. That was how the story went, yes. But there's more than just me getting back to full health just with the snap of my fingers. Looking in Sunburst's optics, I could see that he didn't seem keen on telling any more of the story than that.

To be honest, I agreed with him.

"So you were a-okay after what happened?" Carly asked softly, using her sleeve on her shirt to rub her tear-stained cheeks.

I sighed, "Mostly. We... we survived the ordeal at least. Got the battle scars to prove it too." I looked down at the side of my stomach plating where a large uneven scar was hiding underneath. On Sunburst, he had a large scar on his upper arm where Slipstream once stabbed him to try to get some information out of him.

The sound of flashing noises made us look down at Miko, who had her phone out innocently and was taking a picture of the battle wound. Sunburst looked at her for a moment, then stood to full height and began flexing his arm where the battle scar was.

"The humans refer to these muscles as guns, huh?" Sunburst teased.

Miko and Carly laughed, the latter also pulling out her phone and taking a few pictures of the yellow Autobot. Aquastrike and Starlight also giggled at the Autobot's antics while Bulkhead chortled in amusement.

Even I was smiling after that painful story.

" **Hey, don't forget about me!** " Bumblebee whirred, jumping up and also showing off for the humans.

Raf quickly whipped out his phone and starting taking pictures of his guardian and Sunburst alongside Carly and Miko, the five of them laughing and having a good time.

"Boys, huh?" Starlight laughed at the antics.

Aquastrike started scoffing near the mechs, "Boys, boys." She shook her head as she began standing up. "If it's muscles yer wantin'-" Cue Aquastrike now flexing her own arms. "-Check out these guns!"

Aquastrike had always been one of the boys. She acts like them, she fights like them, she sometimes speaks like them. Heck a Decepticon drone confused her a mech once!

That poor drone didn't last five seconds after that comment.

Long story short, Aqua's enjoyed being part of the boys. Of course, she did grow up with the male-dominated team known as the Wreckers for most of her life so it wouldn't really surprise anyone that she would've been confused for a mech.

Though just don't say that she looks like a mech to her face...

"Aqua, we get it, your muscles can put Sunburst and Bumblebee to shame," Starlight summarised with a laugh, "You've made your point. You can stop now!"

"No way!" Aquastrike declined almost instantly, enjoying the flashing cameras on Carly, Miko and Raf's phones, "T'is is fun!"

"Aqua, you've got a big enough ego! Now sit down!" I ordered, swallowing down my laughter and my smiles so Aquastrike could take me seriously.

The aqua blue femme froze in her place, her arms falling to her sides. "Yes boss." Slowly, she sat back down in her seat with a pout.

"Woah! Bluestreak can go boss mode!" Miko commented, looking at me nervously.

I just shrugged, "Ehhh."

"'Ehhh'?!" Miko repeated sarcastically, "Dude, your voice was meaner tham Optimus' when he handed out those punishments a few weeks ago!"

While Bumblebee and Starlight grinned, the rest of us all groaned, remembering what some of us had to go through during the last few weeks.

Now that was torture. Not as bad as what Sunburst and I had to go through, but still pretty decent.

"Please don't remind us!" Carly moaned, slapping her forehead.

"Sorry!" Miko apologised, "Just giving an example!"

I laughed, "Settle down Miko, we get it."

As the Sunburst, Aquastrike, Bumblebee and the humans sat back down in their seats, the former paused mid step when he made his way over to me as if he was thinking of something. Like he was having a battle with himself. Then he continued his walk with a sigh, "Guys, there's something 'Swept and I have to tell you."

I widened my optics, watching Sunburst sit back down beside me. Had he finally decided to tell the team that we were related?

"Is this where you tell us that the brother-sister relationship you guys have is fake and that you guys are actually dating?" Miko asked with a bored tone, sticking her phone back into her pocket.

Sunburst and I took one look at each other before we laughed in disbelief. There was just no way either of us could look at each other. Yeah, we were close – like seriously close – but come on, the thought of us together that way kind of made me sick!

Sunburst had my sister.

... And I had someone else who I cared about more...

"You're cute Miko," Sunburst commented, wiping a fake tear from his optic.

"Then what's the big story then?!" Miko demanded, crossing her arms.

I looked up at Sunburst nervously. I was kind of worried that he was going to say forget it and back out. But instead, he just grinned and bumped my shoulder.

"Windswept here really is my sister."

Miko and Carly coughed in disbelief, "WHAT?!"

"You never told us that you had a brother?!" Raf exclaimed.

"Yeah, you never told us that you had a sister, Sunshine!" Bulkhead grumbled.

I looked at Raf, "Raf, I didn't even know Sunny here was my brother until we came back after the Energon Harvester incident!"

"How come?"

"Because I'm not fully related to here like you guys think," Sunburst replied to the small boy.

"What, so you guys are like siblings-in-law?" Miko questioned with a serious tone. When we grinned and nodded, her jaw just about dropped to the floor, "What?! Details!"

"Wait! Has this got to do something with that femme you mentioned when that fake Sunburst was here?" Carly asked, "Whirlspin or something like that?"

"Whirlwind," I corrected with a shrug, "Well as you heard in the last story, Knock Out mentioned Whirlwind and we literally lost the plot at him. Whirlwind is not only my sister, but she's my twin sister. And her and Sunburst here fell in love."

"Is t'at when you left Iacon to join t'e Wreckers?" We all looked at Aquastrike when she suddenly asked us that question. Her face was dead serious and her composure was stiff.

How did she know that Sunburst left us for the Wreckers?

"How'd you know that?" Sunburst asked.

"I saw you and Alpha Trion talkin' before you left us. When ya disappeared and I saw how much pain 'Swept was in, I confronted Alpha Trion and 'e told me everythin'. But h' darn swore me to secrecy 'cause 'e knew you'd chase after Sunshine if 'e found Whirlwind!"

Starlight looked at me suddenly, "Wait, what does Aqua mean by 'everything'? And by 'if he found Whirlwind'?"

"By everything, she meant that Alpha Trion told me where Whirlwind was," Sunburst told her.

"After Aquastrike left and Ultra Magnus took his position as head of the Wreckers, a small blue and red-streaked femme appeared on the battlefield one day. Her name was Whirlwind," Bulkhead told us, "She grew up with us, and quickly became a member on the team. Man, she was tough!"

"So when you heard that Whirlwind was at the Wreckers, you simply just went up and left us?" Starlight scoffed in disbelief.

Starlight has always had some issue with the Wreckers. Maybe it's the way they fought, maybe it was the way they handle many of the missions, whatever it was, Starlight has never been too fond of them.

"'E 'ad ta go, Star! For love!" Aquastrike protested.

"Sunburst could've been killed!" Starlight argued, "They went on more dangerous missions than any one on the Autobot side! He left us without saying goodbye, Aqua!"

"Settle down, you two," I immediately told the femme.

"We were a team! Me, you, Sunburst, 'Swept, and everyone else!" Starlight yelled, "You never leave your team behind! No matter what!"

We all weren't that close when all first met. We all had different opinions about each other; who we worked for before arriving to Iacon, what we did, how we got there. It was a little hard to overcome all the details of each other and what we all represented. But with a little work and mentoring from Alpha Trion, we all managed to get along and form ourselves into a team Alpha Trion could use if he needed us.

We were more like family near the end of the war..

Oh Primus.

"Star, is this about Moonlight?" I asked her gently.

I couldn't help asking the question. Their relationship was so horrible, they almost didn't consider themselves family to each other anymore.

"Don't mention her, 'Swept. That's not what I meant," Starlight began to cool herself down, looking around at us before her optics rested on Sunburst, "You guys were all the family that I had, and you when you disappeared, I thought that that was it. Soon we were going to lose everyone else just like we had done with Raindrop and the others... and I didn't want that to happen."

"Awhhh, Star, c'mere!" Aquastrike moved over to Starlight and grabbed the femme, holding her closely, "My lil' sister-like friend, it don' matter no more. What matters is that we're all 'ere now! We maybe just missin' a few of the ol' team, but it don' matter. We're still here!" The aqua blue femme placed the white and pink femme back on her feet, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "And look! We even made some new ones while we were at it!"

Starlight smiled shyly at Bumblebee and Bulkhead before grinning a bit bigger at the humans.

"We'll always be here, Star, no matter what," Sunburst promised before rubbing the back of his helm, "I'm sorry I left. But Whirlwind was at the Wreckers... it was my only chance to see her."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, someone got a little bit carried away," I laughed, tapping Sunburst's foot with my own teasingly, "No need to blind the children or make them deaf from the gory details!"

The humans all stuck their tongues out when they realised what we meant. The rest of us laughed while Aquastrike dragged Starlight over to her seat closest to the elevator lift behind her.

"So, who wants to tell another tale!" Miko asked when the femmes had sat down.

We all looked around each other nervously like we were expecting someone to just pop-up and begin the next tale. Then Sunburst, whose legs were stretched out in front of him and resting most of his weight on his servo behind me, raised his other servo lazily, "Alright, I guess I'll go again. What do you all wanna know this time?"

"Tell us how what you think of them!" Miko instantly asked, "Bluestreak and Aqua and Star! When you worked with them and all that!"

Sunburst chuckled beside me, "Oh where do I begin. This femmes have been giving me drama since day one!"

"HEY!" Starlight, Aquastrike and I yelled in protest. On Sunburst's left, Aquastrike grabbed his upper arm and shoved him over towards me. I just smacked his chassis lightly, laughing.

"Alright, alright! Stop beating me up!" Sunburst grumbled, also laughing. As everyone else settled their amusement, Sunburst brushed some dust of his chassis before looking up, "But seriously, where do I begin huh? Opposite me is that innocent-looking femme over there." Starlight grinned with a shrug. "On my right I have this trouble-making femme." I looked at him and shrugged. He wasn't wrong. "And on my left..." He trailed off as he looked at Aquastrike as if he was unsure of what to say next. "There's you."

"What?! No lil' nickname for me?!" Aquastrike gasped in disbelief.

"Well, Aqua, you're just one of those people that takes ages to describe," Sunburst said as if he was stretching the truth, looking away from the aqua blue femme.

"...If you wanna call me an annoyin' lil' scrap, go right ahead. I ain't gonna slap yo-"

"And on my left is an annoying little piece of scrap!" Sunburst finally relented, sighing in relief ... that was until he got a kick to the shin by the femme. He growled in pain, grabbing his foot, "Aqua! You said you wer-"

"I said that I wasn' gon' slap you. I never said that I wouldn' kick ya," Aquastrike protested, folding her arms and looking away from Sunburst.

" **When does this story start?** " Bumblebee asked, looking at Bulkhead.

"Come on Sunshine, stop stalling and tell us how you think of us!" Starlight begged.

Sunburst sighed, "Oh fine." He cleared his throat, looking over at Starlight. "Starlight was this silent Autobot femme. She appeared suddenly one day like a ninja, silently stepping forward and greeting Alpha Trion respectfully yet shyly. One day, a swarm of Decepticon bombers came charging towards Iacon, forcing me, Hot Shot, Kup, Mecha and Starlight to go out and fight."

Hot Shot and Kup were old friends of Alpha Trion's who would come and help mentor us at Iacon. They were like our big brothers with differing personalities. One was a scout that paid fine attention to detail and had precise plans for certain things, the other was a weapon's specialist who couldn't give a scrap about details, and just wanted to use his new weapons every chance he got.

...But I rolled my optics at the mention of Mecha. She was an Autobot femme who was determined to make my life a misery when I had arrived at Iacon. She always believed that I was a Decepticon in Autobot armour and continued to persist Alpha Trion to get rid of me. Everyone was convinced that she was just envious of the fact that everyone liked me in their company more than her. After my first few weeks at Iacon had gone smoothly, a swarm of Decepticons had dug a tunnel almost into Iacon. It forced a lot of us, including myself, to go underground and defeat them. We did, but one of the 'Cons was a suicide bomber, setting off a grenade on his hip. The blast destroy many of his Decepticon brethren and two of our faithful comrades. One of them happened to be Mecha.

...I'd be lying if I said I missed her...

"Starlight was an absolute ninja with her small Kunai knives, slicing and dicing those 'Cons with ease! And then her sister appeared." Starlight rolled her optics at the mention. "And the two fought denta and nail. All you could hear was the metal scraping on metal, their knives clashing desperately. And then, when they lost their knives, they fought hand to hand. Ohhhh man it was amazing!"

"It wasn't that amazing. Our parents were serious ninjas. Of course we could perform moves that others couldn't!"

"Either way, that's when I knew that you never underestimate the quiet ones like Starlight! She is a dangerous femme! Do not mess with her! I'm begging you!" Sunburst dramatically begged, causing us to chuckle at his over-reaction.

"Until I met 'er and dragged 'er outta 'er shell!" Aquastrike grinned.

"Ahhh yes, when Aquastrike first arrived at Iacon, I thought we were all doomed. She was eager, feisty and determined to prove a point after Ultra Magnus sent her to us."

"'E just turned up one day and decided 'Femme, you're goin' to Iacon'!"

"Ultra Magnus didn't even give Aquastrike a chance to prove her worth! Wheeljack wasn't too pleased, I tell ya!" Bulkhead told us.

"But Alpha Trion saw something in her. He made her into a fighter, a weapons specialist... I must admit, I misjudged her at first. She wasn't really that annoying or anything really. She just had a huge spark for all of us."

Aquastrike grinned, "Awwwh, did I grow on ya, Sunshine?"

Sunburst mumbled something quietly, refusing to answer the question and leaving the others to figure it out. But when I heard him mention the words 'unfortunately' and 'a good partner', I couldn't help but grin, allowing everyone to think of the answer for themselves.

"And what about 'Swept?" Carly asked.

"Ahhh yes, the troublemaker." I rolled my eyes and slapped his chassis with the back of my servo. "The one who always found herself in the medical hospital under the care of Red Alert." One of my personal favourite Autobots at Iacon who always grinned and told me to go save the planet everytime I found myself in the medical bay. "Though, despite the trouble she caused, Windswept always was there beside us, for us and promised to remain with us no matter what happened. She told me things that she needed to tell me, and I trusted her still. Even with all the secrets that she has, I still love her like a little sister."

Secrets? Sunburst, please me careful with those secrets. I'm not ready to tell people yet.

Still I leant into his frame comfortably, looking up at him despite him looking like he was upset down in my vision, "Thank you."

Sunburst smiled – or was it a frown? Either way he nodded at my thanks to him.

Just as Aquastrike was about to make a smart aft comment, the elevator started to make noises behind her. She and Starlight turned around as well all turned our helms to see who was coming to join us up on the roof.

And who was coming up on the roof?

Optimus and Ratchet! With Arcee and Jack!

"Well, well, well," Sunburst hummed, looking at Arcee with a smirk, "It's about time you all joined us up here. We all weren't missing you at all."

My jaw dropped dramatically as I sat up, bumping his arm in the process. That sent his torso and his helm back. Starlight and Carly giggled at our antics.

Guess we were siblings now, huh?

"Ignore him," I told them as Sunburst hummed for a moment behind me. I looked over my shoulder just in time to see him fold his arms under his helm, deciding to stay down there for a while. I glanced back up at the four who had just joined us on top of the base, "Anything happening down there?"

"No. The Decepticons have silenced themselves after the racing incident." We all averted our optics, trying to find something else to look apart from Optimus. Only I was brave enough to look back at him.

"So as soon as Arcee and Jack came back from their ordeal, Optimus suggested we join the rest of you up here," Ratchet explained before mumbling, "Like I looked like I want to be up here."

My audio receptors ignored most of Ratchet's words except for one, "Wait! Ordeal?!" I looked over at Arcee and Jack, who looked a bit worse than they did when they left. Arcee's armour had been scratched a little and Jack's hair and clothes looked messy.

"What happened?" Bulkhead asked as the humans raced up to go see Jack.

"We were attacked by a bug," Arcee replied bitterly, watching Carly greet her charge with a hug.

"What kinda bug?" Aquastrike questioned.

"The spider kind," Jack answered when he pulled away from his hug with Carly.

Bumblebee's optics showed anger as he growled, " **Airachnid.** "

Airachnid was another Cybertronian that I had only known by reputation. But one whose name came up a few times by other Autobots. Apparently, she was a Decepticon that used physical torture to get information out. Like Slipstream and Knock Out with Sunburst and I, but worse. So much worse.

"Who's Airachnid?" Carly asked innocently, looking up at Arcee.

"Carly, I do not think that now is th-"

"It's okay Optimus," Arcee interrupted, sparing a glance at the Prime before kneeling down in front of the humans, "Airachnid is the Decepticon who took away my first partner Tailgate. I was scouting on Cybertron on the Delta team when I was captured by her. She took me in for interrogation and continued asking me about the attack co-ordinates for a battle that was coming up. I wouldn't give in so she brought in Tailgate, wounded and defeated. She asked again about the co-ordinates, but I confessed to her that I didn't know. And, by the AllSpark, it was the truth. But I wasn't able to stop her. I had to watch her kill Tailgate before my optics."

We all stayed silent when she told us that. I think a lot of us were well aware of Tailgate and what Airachnid could do. I didn't know Tailgate, but I was told that he was well known by many Autobots. Primus rest his soul.

"So you 'nd t'e bug 'ad a fight to t'e death?" Aquastrike questioned.

"Well..."

As Arcee and Jack began their story of what they went through, I looked around for Optimus and Ratchet, who had mysteriously disappeared during Arcee's little recounting of Airachnid. I spotted them at the edge of the roof, starring at the sun beginning to set ahead of us.

Wow, is it that time already?!

I stood up, despite the protests from Sunburst about the bright sun glaring into his vision, and began walking over to the elder 'bots of the team. They looked to be in deep discussion of something. Then I saw Ratchet clasp Optimus' shoulder comfortingly before walking away from him and past me. Exchanging a nod he continued walking towards the group while I kept walking towards Optimus.

"Good day?" I asked him when I stood beside him.

"Despite Arcee's personal struggle with Airachnid, I believe so," Optimus answered.

I looked over my shoulder at Arcee still kneeling down with the humans. Ratchet was beginning to do some medical checks on her. I glanced back up at Optimus, "You know all about Airachnid, huh?"

"I greeted Arcee when she was returned to the Autobot side by Bumblebee and Cliffjumper after Tailgate's passing."

I nodded in understanding, taking a glance at the sun beginning to set before us. Optimus didn't seem to be in a chatty mood with me. Was he still disappointed me? Was he still not willing to trust me? Was he-

"Windswept, I have been told that you still believe I am angry with you about recent events, correct?" Optimus interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up in disbelief of the question. Who's been reading my thoughts and speaking to Optimus?!

"Sunburst has been concerned about you."

I rolled my optics, "As always."

"Windswept, I am no longer angry nor disappointed in you. Mistakes happen and sometimes we do not make the wisest decisions. We let our feelings about what has happened or what is said come to the surface." Optimus Prime. The Autobot who was never wrong.

"I have noticed how close you and Carly are becoming, just like I have noticed Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee become close with Jack, Miko and Raf. Do not allow yourself to falter when they falter. They are strong like us. They can handle anything."

Need I say it again?

He was right. Definitely right. Carly was slowly becoming my weakness. If any Decepticon brought harm to her, then its game over for what I do and do not know and it's welcome to the playing field for personal feelings.

"I don't disagree Optimus. Thank you for your advice."

"It is only because I worry, Windswept. I worry about all of the team's well-being."

He does. Optimus Prime cares about all of us. Even when we don't think so, he always will care about us.

I looked over my shoulder. Arcee was now sitting down with the group, having Ratchet behind her continue to check her for any injuries. Aquastrike and Starlight sat on either side of her, chatting away about what they got up to. Sunburst continued to enjoy the sunset from his lazy position on his back. Bulkhead and Bumblebee were talking to the kids in the middle of the circle, Jack and Carly resting side by side and Miko and Raf on the opposite of them, looking like they were having some sort of competition.

We weren't just any sort of team. We were a team that was slowly becoming a family. And family sticks together.

I intend on keeping it that way.

* * *

So that's it for now. Next two chapters are Sick Mind/Out of His Head, and as you'll probably figure out, you'll know how that one will go. But _how_ it exactly plays out and what it means for the story going forward will be the real kicker.

I hope you all enjoyed the little insight into the past of my own characters. This chapter kinda opens the door for a prequel detailing life at Iacon before Cybertron's destruction surrounding Windswept, Sunburst, Aquastrike and Starlight. They would be the four main characters plus a few extras, both OC's and already established characters in and out of this series. The story's already in the works so I've been doing my research on who would be perfect for the story and how I would write them.

So with that prequel already confirmed, it's a matter of when i want to get it out. My original idea was to run it alongside Season 2 (when I would _finally_ get to writing it, which isn't that far away now - I'm already planning the last four chapters for this story woo!) where (oops, spoiler!) more Iacon characters would be introduced. But after working on this chapter, I've realised that this one really opens the door more. Any opinions on this would be fantastic!

Whatever comes next will probably happen if I get any emails about any reviews/followers/favourites. ;)

Thank you for reading.


	14. Chpt 14: Sick Mind

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

I did it again - got caught up with work and stopped updating. I'm so inconsistent when it comes to this story and all of you guys deserve better. And it's gonna get even worse with Christmas not being too far away now. Yikes!

Thank you to Uzumaki Suiren and 707cloud for following and favouriting this story. And to Mia prime for leaving another review! To answer your reviews Mia, all I have to say is just wait and see. All the answers will be found in the next two chapters!

I've spent the last week editing this chapter and the next the one for you guys so I hope all this work isn't going to waste. I'll post this first one now and then post the next one as soon as I can after it. I'm working in the morning, so hopefully, I can post part two to this chapter in the afternoon when I get home (no promises though!)

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept and the other OC's belong to me.

(Chapter Title: Megatron's Sick Mind)

* * *

After the few weeks we got off for all the trouble we caused, the Autobot team at Autobot Outpost Omega One were now back on par with each other. We were all on the same side after all. Just because half of us were in trouble and the rest of them weren't, doesn't mean that they get to tease us for being stuck in base!

Thanks a lot Bumblebee and Starlight.

Speaking of, the two were discussing battle preparations with Aquastrike and Bulkhead, trying to figure out what the best attack would be and why. Sunburst and I were just sitting around near the Groundbridge, bored out of our damn minds! That only left Optimus and Arcee with Ratchet, checking for any signals that appeared on the monitors and of course, the humans that were at their computers.

"Optimus, you're not going to believe this."

Like that one that just beeped as soon as Ratchet spoke.

As Sunburst pulled me up to my feet, everyone began gathering behind Ratchet as he announced what he had just discovered, "I've just pinpointed the location of a Decepticon warship."

"How did you penetrate their cloaking shields?" Optimus asked.

"I didn't," Ratchet replied as we looked up at the monitor, "I was experimenting with variable frequency wavelengths when I stumbled upon it. Even still, their ship might be experimenting some kind of electromagnetic breach."

"With Megatron deceased, and the element of surprise," Arcee started, began punching her fists into her open palm.

"We could do some damage to t'ose 'Cons!" Aquastrike finished eagerly.

Before Optimus could decide on what to do about the signal, an Autobot Emergency signal flashed upon the screen. A Decepticon Warship AND an Autobot signal? Something tells me something's going on.

"Also on the same frequency, an Autobot Emergency Beacon," Ratchet reported.

"The Decepticons can wait. There may be Autobots in distress. Ratchet, bring your medical kit," Optimus instructed. Then he turned down to me, "Windswept, you will provide back up."

I nearly cheered. Yes! My first proper mission in weeks! Well, what are we waiting for Prime? Let's get going!

* * *

We arrived at the co-ordinates of the Autobot Emergency signal to discover the place a little less lifeless than I expected it to be. The night sky peaking through the clouds above us proved that it was night-time. The full moon shone brightly ahead, showing us the crashed Autobot ship ahead of us.

"A crash-landing," Optimus observed, "Buried here for centuries."

My body kind of slumped at the idea that the ship had been buried here for centuries. If there was anyone in that ship, I'd hate to think what kind of state they were in if they were still alive or maybe in stasis. But to be honest, I very much doubted that at this stage.

When we reached the ship, we discovered that the opening of the ship was buried deep within the ground. So we were forced to find what we thought was a corridor of the ship to destroy so we could enter it. Ratchet drilled a decent-sized hole for us to fit through and once he did, Optimus kicked the wall in, the rust on it being too much for the patch to simply fall on its on. We stepped on in and turned our torches on, being mindful of the fact that the corridor we entered was on a slightly lean.

"If they travelled in stasis mode, there may be survivors," Ratchet pointed out.

Suddenly, the ship started to shake underneath us, adjusting to our weight on this side of the ship. We fell to our knees and waited for the shaking to stop. I had to grip onto Optimus' arm to not lose my balance all together. When the ship eventually stopped shaking, we began rising to our feet, Optimus looking over both Ratchet and I to make sure that we were okay before we continued our search.

We quickly came to the end of the corridor, finding the door sealed shut and having no intentions of opening for us. Because of it sitting like that for quite some time, and because of the rust that had grown, the door was not going to open the way it was. So Optimus forced the doors to slide up, the metal screeching as they parted each and every way.

As we stepped through, we quickly came across a horrible sight. Autobot frames were strewn around the ship, pools of blue Energon resting beside each one.

Hang on... that Energon isn't blue!

Optimus shook his head in disappointment at the lost Autobots that we could've gained. New friends that we could've made. New members for our family.

"Optimus!" We turned around to see Ratchet scanning one of the offline Autobots, his scanner immediately turning red, indicating that something was wrong, "These Autobots didn't perish in the crash!" He stood and turned to us, "They're displaying the effects of a virus!"

The light purple Energon pooling around each of the Autobots now made sense. It wasn't just any ordinary Energon. It was Energon that had been affected by a virus. And the crash-landing that they ship had made now made a lot more sense too. The ship's crew would've succumbed to the virus, leaving the ship flying out of control and eventually crash-land here on Earth. And the light purple Energon was only leaking because of the injuries they sustained in the crash.

"This is a plague ship," Optimus realised.

I took a step forward in curiosity. Maybe if we could get a close look of the virus and take a sample back with us, then we could figure out what it was and how we could deal with it. As I went to take another step forward, Ratchet jumped in front of me, stopping me going any further.

"Don't touch anything! The virus could still be active!"

Just as he said that, the ship started to shake again. This time, more violently. The ship was unstable, having been sitting like this for centuries. The ship veered to our left, forcing us into the wall. We made heavy contact into it, barely keeping our footing as the ship paused in it's shaking for the moment.

Panic was coursing through me now. If the virus was still active, and with the ship moving around, there was a strong possibility that one of us could come into contact with it and become infected... and end up like the offline bodies surrounding us.

I gulped.

"I think we need to get out of here!" I suggested, my voice coming out in a mix of a hysterical whimper.

They nodded at my suggestion and we quickly began trying to climb back up to full height, using the wall behind us as a helper. The sound of metal clanging above us caused Optimus to point his torch up, the light shining on an infected Autobot hanging precariously above us.

The form suddenly began to descend down on us. Optimus held out his arm towards me as if he was protecting me from the falling body from above. The Autobot frame suddenly stopped mid-flight, like it was caught on something. At first, I thought that we would be okay. We would get out of this infected ship and we get back our base safe and sound.

And then a few drops of the infected Energon fell from the body and landed onto Optimus' face.

And I began to panic even more.

"NO!"

* * *

As soon as we relayed the words that Optimus had been infected by a virus on the ship, Arcee and the team wasted no time preparing a Groundbridge and the medical bay for our leader. Ratchet and I struggled, but we managed to get Optimus back to safety and straight to the medical bay.

Not once did I leave Optimus' side. I refused to, even when Ratchet tried to pry me away. Not even Sunburst could drag me away. Optimus had protected me from the virus and now he was paying the price for it. I couldn't bare the thought of not being able to return the favour if he were to pass.

It was clear that the infected Energon had come into contact with his optic - there were horrific colours surrounding it. We weren't even back for fifteen minutes and the poor Prime was struggling with his strength. There was no doubt that the infected Energon had already seeped through his faceplates and into his Energon flow.

I wanted to look away from the pain, but I couldn't. I was so worried for our leader.

Ratchet performed a quick scan on the infected area, it immediately beeping upon picking up on the virus that Optimus had made contact with. The medic took a step back to look at the scanner, "Cybonic plague."

Cybonic Plague... it was the disease that killed millions during the Cybertronian war. Many Autobots were infected and it was quickly spread through many Autobots. Nobody knew what it was and how to treat it, thus why we lost so many.

"Alpha Trion taught us about the Cybonic Plague," Starlight mentioned quietly. She, Sunburst and Arcee were gathered behind me while Bulkhead, Aquastrike and Bumblebee were gathered on the other side behind Ratchet.

Sunburst nodded in agreement, "He said the only way we could contract the plague was if we came into contact with the infected Energon. But that still didn't answer the question of how the Energon was infected to begin with."

"What was it doing inside of an Autobot spaceship?" Miko wanted to know.

I glanced up briefly at the humans. Miko and Raf were on the sides of Jack and Carly. My charge's hands were gripping the bars tightly in front of her with Jack close beside her and with his hands on hers.

"Its passengers were infected." Arcee replied, "The virus wiped out millions on Cybertron during the Great War."

"Cybonic Plague was engineered in the Decepticon Biological Warfare Program by Megatron himself," Ratchet explained to us, his optics narrowing.

"You have a cure, don't you?" Raf asked worriedly.

Ratchet went to answer, but he was unable to do so when Optimus groaned, causing him to spin around. I quickly became on high alert, watching him turn his helm to look up at the small boy, rasping out a small answer.

"No…cure."

"Optimus, please," I pleaded quietly.

"Save your strength," Ratchet coaxed him gently.

"Would Megatron really create a disease without having a cure?" Carly asked.

"What if he caught it by accident?" Jack added.

"It's not like we can ask Megatron, you two," Bulkhead pointed out, "He's pushing up lug-nuts."

Usually, I'd be pretty happy about Megatron being offline. But in this case, unfortunately we needed him more than ever. And with him offline, we practically had no chance to help Optimus...

Unless...

The Decepticon Warship co-ordinates!

My helm snapped up to look at Ratchet, "Do we still have a fix on the Decepticon Warship?"

Ratchet nodded, pointing to the small computer monitor opposite of Optimus, showing the current position of the Decepticon Warship, "For the moment, we may be able to access the Decepticon database."

My mind was already forming a plan. I needed to get into the Decepticon Warship, find something, anything to help our dying leader before us. Hopefully, if we could find something, then I'd be able to help him and save him from this oncoming death. This death that should've been mine.

I spun around to face Starlight behind me, "Starlight, provide medical support and back-up if Ratchet needs it."

Back on Cybertron, Starlight was taught basic medical training as well as extensive injury training. Hopefully this would be able to come into play and help Ratchet. After all, the same 'bot that taught her was the same orange and white 'bot with us right now.

My optics locked immediately on Sunburst and Arcee, "You two, come with me to the Warship."

They didn't argue. Instead, they were eager get going, already heading off towards the Groundbridge tunnel behind Aquastrike, Bumblebee and Bulkhead.

Speaking of, "You three stay here and look after the kids. If we need back up on the Warship, we'll comm in."

The trio nodded, making way for me to squeeze through to head over to join the waiting Arcee and Sunburst.

"Windswept," I looked at Ratchet, who was looking over his shoulder at me. Optimus continued to groan in pain in front of him, making my spark break at the pain he was in. Ratchet's optics were starting to show concern, "Quickly."

I nodded. We couldn't waste any time. We had to get moving and save Optimus. Now.

* * *

We quickly drove through the Groundbridge portal aboard the Nemesis. Sunburst, Arcee and I transformed almost immediately, our blasters activated and ready if there were any oncoming Decepticons heading our way. The portal swirled closed behind us.

No turning back now.

"Let's start with the lab," Arcee decided.

Sunburst and I nodded in agreement as we slowly took a few steps forward, making sure there weren't any Decepticons coming from any direction. We peaked around the corner, finding a large door ahead.

Suddenly, the doors slide open, revealing Knock Out and Moonlight on the other side and heading our way. Arcee climbed up the side of the ship, using one of the arches as a hiding spot. Sunburst was crouching below, ready for a surprise attack on the two. I used the arches at the top of the corridor to good use, climbing up to the roof and hiding behind it.

"...And you know, I adore Slipstream and everything, but she can get a little too bossy. Wouldn't you agree?" Moonlight asked, looking over the tips of her digits.

"Hmmmm," Knock Out mumbled in agreement, obviously uninterested by his friend.

As they reached where the four corridors meet, Sunburst suddenly adjusted his position on the ground, causing Moonlight to stop mid-step and held her arm to stop Knock Out. She quickly began whipping her helm around to look for the source of the noise. If only she knew where we were.

"Did you hear something?"

Knock Out looked over his shoulders briefly before shrugging, "Hmph." He brushed past Moonlight's arm to continue walking.

Moonlight took another look around, her eyes narrowing down the hallway that we were currently hiding in. But she eventually gave up and began following after Knock Out. Probably eager to annoy him some more.

We jumped out of hiding spots now knowing that the first moment of danger had passed. After Arcee and I glared at Sunburst, who sheepishly rubbed the back of his head after nearly getting us caught, we quickly made our way to the room that Knock Out and Moonlight had just left. The doors automatically slid open for us, revealing a set of controls and monitors ahead.

Perfect.

Arcee didn't waste any time getting to the controls, quickly beginning her search on anything regarding the Cybonic Plague on the Decepticon database. I watched over her progress, making sure she didn't miss anything that turned up on the monitor. Sunburst kept guard behind us, his battle axes in his servos and ready to fight.

"Arcee's in the network, Ratchet," I said over the main comm-link.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

While the group on the Warship continued working through the database, Ratchet and Starlight were continuing their work monitoring Optimus' vitals. Behind them, Bulkhead, Aquastrike and Bumblebee continued to entertain the children as much as they could, even though they couldn't really do anything to make the current situation better.

And if Ratchet and Starlight had to be honest, they would have to tell the team that their leader was not getting any better. In fact, he was slowly, but steadily, going downhill.

"Ratchet..." The medic turned his attentions away from a section of Optimus' vitals to look at his old friend. On the other side of Optimus was Starlight, who was holding a data-pad and checking another section of Optimus vitals. She watched the Prime's helm slowly turn to face the medic, "Were you...?"

"Infected?" Ratchet asked softly, knowing very well what the Prime was going to say. "No."

Optimus groaned a sigh of relief, turning away from his old friend as the light in his optics flickered. Ratchet and Starlight shared a worried glance.

Their leader and friend was beginning his descent to death before them. And they could only stand and watch, unable to do anything to help him.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I huffed in frustration. Arcee had searched through the entire Decepticon database and found nothing. Nothing! Not even a single mention of the Cybonic Plague anywhere!

The Decepticons are more useless than we thought.

"If it's here, we don't see it," Arcee commed back to base.

" _ **Are you certain, Arcee?**_ " Ratchet demanded from the other side of the line.

"Windswept and I have searched every file," Arcee told him, "Nothing."

" _ **Well, search again! Clearly, you missed something!**_ "

"Ratchet, we've scanned their entire database. We double-checked and even triple-checked!" I growled in frustration, gritting my denta together, "There is nothing here."

" _ **Did you use a redundant quantum algorithm?**_ "

"Don't tell us how to research!" Arcee snapped angrily, "You think you're the only one who cares about Optimus?"

"'Swept, 'Cee, I found the trouble! I found the trouble!"

I snapped my helm up at those familiar words. Back at Iacon, we used those words to let each other known if we had found anything we were searching for or if the Decepticons had come out to play. I turned around, finding Sunburst pointing towards the door.

"What is it?" Arcee angrily demanded, also turning around to see what Sunburst was talking about.

He turned back to the small window in the doors ahead. Arcee and I soon joined him, the former glaring daggers at the yellow and white-striped Autobot since he interrupted our search of the database. He ignored her and instead pointed his helm towards what he found. We looked through the window to see what he was talking about.

We gasped in disbelief.

The doors slid open, allowing us a better look at the sight before us. Resting on the medical berth on the other side of the room, with multiple wires joined to his body, including a major cable connected to the massive hole in his spark chamber, was _him_.

"It's Megatron..." Arcee reported in disbelief, "He's alive!"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The team reacted at the news. Aquastrike and Miko gasped in disbelief. Bulkhead's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Carly, Raf and Jack gripped the protective bars tightly, displaying shocked looks. Bumblebee whirred with panic at the discovery. Starlight nearly dropped the data-pad she was holding while Ratchet approached the monitor where the three Autobot signals were.

Was it true? Was Megatron really alive?

"What?!" Jack exclaimed.

"That's not possible!" Ratchet whispered in disbelief.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Activating my blaster, I began approaching the unconscious form of Megatron, taking slow and small steps towards the monitors that he was hooked up to. When Ratchet commed through his gasp of disbelief, I rolled my optics, "Ratchet, I'm literally approaching his unconscious form as we speak."

"Good news is: Megatron isn't exactly approaching us either," Arcee remarked as she and Sunburst circled around him on the other side, pointing their weapons at him.

" _ **Megatron…**_ " We heard Optimus gasp weakly.

My spark was breaking at his weak whisper. He was barely hanging on.

"He's critical, Ratch," Sunburst reported, twirling an axe in his servo, "He's hooked up to life support. It's the only thing that's keeping him alive right now."

Wait... if he's lying here... and hooked up to life support... and if he's the only one who knows the cure to the disease Optimus is currently dying from...

"Time to finish this once and for all."

Megatron could save Optimus!

I quickly leaped in front Arcee's blaster that was pointing towards the main cable connected to Megatron, holding her blaster down and away from me.

"Windswept! What are you doing?!" Arcee growled, trying to break her blaster out of my grip.

"You can't shoot him!" I told her, struggling to keep her weapons down.

"Windswept, after all he's done, you want us to spare his life?!" Sunburst scoffed in disbelief, "Why?!"

" _ **Megatron may be Optimus' only hope for survival,**_ " Ratchet answered for me.

Arcee's fighting stopped suddenly at Ratchet's words, looking at me in disbelief, "Ratchet, what are you talking about?"

" _ **Does he display brainwave activity?**_ " Starlight asked over the comms.

I whipped my helm around the monitor, seeing the top half of the screen keeping an eye on Megatron's frame. Below was his brainwave activity, spiking continuously, showing that his mind was active.

"Spiking hard," Arcee answered bitterly, "His sick mind is still at work."

" _ **Perfect! If a cure exists, Megatron may be the only one who knows it. You must enter his brain and find it.**_ "

Wait... what?

That wasn't what I had in mind...

"Enter Megatron's brain?" Sunburst gasped, walking away from us to put his battle axes back onto his back hilt, "Ratchet, are you out of your fragging mind?"

" _ **The Decepticon lab should contain all the equipment you need for a cortical psychic patch,**_ " Ratchet continued in our audio receptors while Arcee and I walked over to Sunburst.

"No way!" Arcee protested, "Have you even performed the procedure?"

Ratchet hesitated in his answer, " **No.** " Arcee looked at me in frustration while he continued in our audio receptors, " _ **But I have thoroughly studied the theoretical literature. Invented by Decepticons. Outlawed by Autobots.**_ "

"Can't we just haul Megatron through the Groundbridge and buy us some time to figure this out?" Sunburst suggested.

I curled my servos into fists. We didn't have time for this! We had to move quickly to save our leader!

" _ **Time is one thing that Optimus does not have! One of you must try this! I will NOT allow Optimus to pass knowing that Megatron will outlive him!**_ " Ratchet growled out at us.

I looked over at Megatron's brainwave activity, walking towards and studying it for a moment. I do wonder what he's dreaming about while he's sitting there. Maybe it's his own personal hell for us and his own personal fantasy for him. He's probably wishing that it was all real.

... IF he was aware of the fact that he was unconscious.

The figures that he would've created in his mind – the people he would've allowed to come and go – could disappear with a snap of my fingers. But if one of us from the real world went in there, we wouldn't be able to be harmed by him. We were real, his figures he's been creating in his dreams were not.

...I could do this.

"Ratchet, I would lay down my life for Optimus. Anytime. Anywhere. But a mind-body split-"

"I'll go," I interrupted Arcee, looking over my shoulder.

"You bet your fraggin' aft, you are!" Sunburst immediately protested, taking a few steps forward to me, "'Swept, we're well aware of the fact that you haven't had the best history with Megatron. But th-"

Sunburst, you don't get it! You don't understand the pain me and Whirlwind went through, believing every little word that Megatron said. And then to realise that we had been fooled the entire time...

I turned and faced my brother and my friend, wiping my optics from any trail of tears. "Let me do this for Optimus. Please."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Are you sure, 'Swept?" Carly barely questioned in a whisper.

"'Swept's t'e toughest 'bot I've ever known! If 'nyone could do t'is to save the life of a friend, it's 'er," Aquastrike replied for her teammate, looking up at the humans above her.

Carly nodded slowly, but it didn't help her mind ease the fact that her guardian was about to enter the mind of the Decepticon leader using a procedure that had never been performed before. However, she was well aware of the fact that this was her guardian's choice. If she felt that she needed to do it, then Carly knew that she had to let her.

At this point, it was the only option the Autobots had.

"Tell her to be careful for me please," The brown-haired girl whispered to her Autobot friends, "And to come home!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I could hear Carly's voice over the comms. I could hear the way she sounded. She didn't want me to go and I understood that. There was a chance that this could fail massively. But I wasn't going to let those thoughts stop me. I was going into Megatron's mind, I was going to find the cure.

I was going to save Optimus. And I was going to go home to prove to my friends and my family that I could do this.

I looked over at the unconscious form of Megatron with a sigh, "I will be careful, Carly. And I promise, I'll come home."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Why has the electromagnetic shielding not been repaired?"

...There was a reason why the Autobots were able to pick up the Decepticon signal.

Slipstream slapped her forehead in frustration at the working drones surrounding herself and Starscream. The idiots had one simple job! And they couldn't do it!

"The crews are working as quick as they can, Lord-"

Slipstream gave up, slapping the drone in the face, "I do not care! The Autobots only need to pinpoint our position to access the correct frequency wavelength for them to storm the ship!"

Starscream took a step towards one of the drones, "Accelerate your efforts!"

"Yes, Lord Starscream," The slapped drone nodded, walking away with other drones to do what was told.

"Pathetic drones," Slipstream muttered, overlooking her servo just as the doors slid open behind her.

"Doctor in the house," Knock Out greeted behind her as he and Moonlight walked through the doors.

"And you're faithful third in command," Moonlight grinned.

Rolling his optics, Starscream spun around to greet his Decepticon medic and his third in command with a fake welcoming smile, "Ah, Knock Out. And how is the patient doing today?"

"Same old," Knock Out answered with a sigh, placing a servo on his hip.

"An inglorious fate that he should remain in this vegetative state," Slipstream hummed, turning away from Knock Out with her hands behind her back.

Moonlight stifled a laugh behind her, causing the purple and blue Decepticon femme to snap back around at the black and dark pink Decepticon, "What ever is so humorous, Moonlight?"

Moonlight cocked a hip out to the side, pointing at Slipstream, "You may believe that Megatron's form is useless." Then she began tapping her helm with a single digit, "But his mind is still at work, dreaming to no end."

"Keep that to yourself!" Starscream hissed, dropping his voice as he took another step forwards towards the Decepticon medic and the third in command, "That blasted Soundwave sees and hears everything!"

"The eyes and ears of the Decepticons," Knock Out hummed.

"Well, as long as their master remains in limbo, so does their cause," Starscream began, holding up his hand, "The Decepticons deserve a strong, alert leader."

"One who would require a loyal second-in-command," Knock Out added slyly.

"And maybe a third-in-command too," Moonlight piped in with a smirk.

Slipstream narrowed her optics at the two. In a normal world with Megatron as leader, Slipstream was the ever faithful second-in-command and Soundwave in the next position behind. But while Megatron continued in his dreams, herself and Starscream were co-leaders of the Decepticon cause while Soundwave was the second-in-command and Rebecca Rose bumped up to the third spot. She couldn't believe her audio receptors that they were discussing the ridiculous idea of switching up the positions! And right in front of her! The Decepticon looked around for a moment with her optics, her face emotionless before straightening up when Starscream chuckled beside her.

"A candidate will need to earn that post by making a strong case to said eyes and ears."

"A case for showing mercy, Lord Starscream?" Knock Out smirked.

"And Lady Slipstream," Moonlight grinned, bowing down before the twins.

"You scratch our backs, we scratch yours," Starscream mirrored Knock Out's smirk.

Slipstream was unsure. Soundwave and Rebecca were both loyal Decepticons to the very end. There was no way that she over-throw the pair of them and replace with the likes of Knock Out and Moonlight, both whom were gaining quick respect from Starscream by sucking up to him as nicely as they could.

If Starscream wasn't careful, then he would have to end up being over-thrown by Slipstream, who believed that if she couldn't be the true leader of the Decepticons, then there was only one who could...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

While Arcee prepared the connection between Megatron's helm and my helm, Sunburst and I waited for her return in a little hideaway we discovered. It was perfect – we could keep an optic on Megatron and for any arriving Decepticons coming through the med-bay doors.

... Well Sunburst and Arcee could... Cause I wouldn't be able to.

To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. I was freaking out to be honest. I was worried about what could happen while I was trying to get the Cybonic Plague cure off Megatron's mind. The possibility of the patch not working would cost us massively. And it didn't help that every moment that we wasted, the more unwell Optimus becomes.

"Come on Arcee, let's go," I whispered when she took ages returning back to the hideaway.

Sunburst's servo appeared on my shoulder, making my frame stop shaking a little at the comfortingly clasp, "If you're worried, you can tell me."

"Sunburst seriously?" I chuckled nervously, looking up at him, "Me? Worried? Ha, ha!"

Uh-oh, I laughed nervously AND loudly.

"Settle down and stop lying. I'm your brother remember. And I've known you for years. I can tell when you're worried," Sunburst told me.

Arcee jumped down into view with the other end of the cortical psychic patch, bending down to check if I was ready.

Swallowing down my fear, I smirked, "Let's do this."

" _ **Initiate cortical psychic connection,**_ " Ratchet instructed.

Sunburst sat down beside me, pulling me to his side. I looked up at him with a cold look, silently asking him what he was up to.

"Just wanting you to know that you're in safe hands. I made a promise to a friend years ago that if we were to ever split apart and I found you first, I had to protect you for him until his return," Sunburst explained quietly.

A friend wanted to make sure that I was okay by sending Sunburst to protect me? Awhhhh, I wonder who he was!

"Just remember that I'm here, okay?"

I grasped his servo, "Thank you." I looked over at Arcee, who was waiting patiently for me to be ready. After a few moments, I felt ready to go. I glanced up at my friend with a smirk, "Plug me in."

Arcee wandered around and bent down behind me. I felt the patch at the back of helm lock on before Arcee activated it. Suddenly, I felt myself going through different streams of colours. Already I was beginning to panic as my optics slowly closed before me...

* * *

An explosion of blue appeared in my vision, causing me to open my optics in panic. Immediately I spotted the bright circular light known as the moon high above me, bathing me in a spotlight before the black and grey clouds moved across the moon, blocking it's light from shining on me.

I looked over my frame to make sure that everything was intact. Everything seemed to be thankfully. I glanced up at the sight around and gasped. Fires were burning brightly orange around me, there were pieces of shrapnel every which way, and on top of that, they were a few familiar structures standing tall around me.

As I began to talk a few steps down the pathway before me, my insides churned with fear and knowledge.

I know this place.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Communications downlink activated," Ratchet confirmed, "This will allow us to see and hear everything Windswept does while in Megatron's subconscious mind."

While Aquastrike, Bulkhead, Ratchet and Bumblebee watched the live-feed on the small monitor, Starlight continued work on Optimus, providing him the best care that he needed. But the more she worked and noticed his vitals, the more worried she started to become. Optimus' vitals were not getting better than she had hoped and wanted. But they were starting to go down at a more quicker pace.

Optimus Prime would soon be no more if they didn't get the cure soon.

"Woah," Jack gasped, seeing everything that his girlfriend's guardian was seeing, "Where is that?"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"Kaon," I answered simply, "It's the Decepticon capital on Cybertron. I'd recognise it anywhere."

As I grew up with the Decepticons after our parents death, Whirlwind and I spent lifetimes at Kaon. We found it exciting and a challenge for us as we trained for the war that we were supposed to fight in as Decepticons. But the longer we stayed and watched Megatron become more determined for power, the more worse Kaon got. And eventually, Kaon ended up looking like this...

When Whirlwind and I left, Kaon was being reduced to burnt metal and shrapnel.

" _ **Ratchet, Optimus' vitals…**_ " Starlight trailed off in my audio receptor.

Optimus' vitals? What about them? Are they getting worse? Oh scrap no!

" _ **I know.**_ "

"Ratchet, what's going on with Optimus?" I asked worriedly.

" _ **Windswept, you must move quickly. I know this is known territory to you and I can tell that you're eager to explore, but you must figure out where information might be filed in Megatron's mind.**_ "

I growled when Ratchet didn't provide me the answer that I wanted. While I stepped up the stairs of what I remembered as the battle arena, I began snapping at my lovely medic, "Ratchet, I'm moving as fast as I can! Tell me what's going on with Op-"

As I go to say his name, guess who appears before me at the top of the stairs? Optimus Prime himself, standing proudly and without anything wrong with him. It's like he's somehow fought of the Cybonic Plague and was ready to fit any enemy standing in his way.

I went to take a few steps before I stop mid-step. Wait... that's not Optimus, is it?

" _ **Windswept, that is not Optimus. But a figme-**_ "

"A figment of Megatron's mind," I interrupted Ratchet, remembering what I had thought of earlier about me being real and the people like the Optimus standing before me being only created by Megatron's mind.

" _ **He cannot see or hear you,**_ " Ratchet warned me.

"Right, the figments that Megatron create cannot see or hear me," I repeated in a mutter to remind myself of this fact, "Got it."

The cackles the began echoing through out the place Megatron had created for himself suddenly sent chills down my spine. I took a few steps back to glance up behind Optimus.

"Optimus Prime! Your Autobot armies are defeated! Bow before your master."

"Never Megatron," Optimus declined calmly. I jumped out of the way and over towards some shelter when Optimus turned around, "One shall stand. One shall fall." He activated his sword, ready to fight

"So be it," Megatron sneered. With a battle cry, he activated his arm cannon and leaped down on the ground opposite Optimus.

The two heavyweights charged after another, ready for another one of their historic battles. As they threw punches at each other, one missed and one striked. Megatron's punch was so strong, it disintegrated Optimus into nothing but blue fumes, floating into the air and out of existence.

My spark was pounding inside my spark chamber. I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn't real. None of it was real! Come on, Windswept! You're better than this!

" _ **Hey! T'at ain't never happen b'fore!**_ " Aquastrike protested over the com-link

" _ **It's not a memory,**_ " Ratchet told her, " _ **We're seeing Kaon as Megatron has recreated it.**_ "

"In his twisted dreams and happy nightmares," I growled.

The rock I was hiding behind suddenly moved and transformed, the surprise making me leap backwards. The figure slowly began to change colour and texture, revealing itself to be another Optimus Prime by the time he stood to full height.

"Megatron, your treachery ends here," Optimus declared, activating his sword again.

Megatron deactivated his sword as he turned around to face Optimus. Instead he activated his blaster cannon and aimed it at Optimus, ready to destroy him once more.

Don't run out, 'Swept. Don't run out, 'Swept! It's just a figment! It isn't really Optimus!

Oh, who am I kidding!? This is me we're talking about!

I leaped out from my hiding spot just as Megatron fired a blaster shot. I ran ahead of Optimus in an attempt to block the shot, but it flew straight threw me and into the Optimus figment behind me. Like before, he was destroyed into blue fumes that quickly evaporated into the air.

Quickly sensing footsteps, I whipped around just in time to see the Decepticon Warlord himself stand over me, looking down upon me with a thoughtful expression.

"My dear Windswept," He began rather kindly, rolling and clicking his shoulders, "The punishment for trespassing in my domain-" He paused for a moment to activate his sword, rising it in the air in preparation, "-Is your destruction!"

I shielded myself to dodge the swipe, but I knew that that wasn't going to be enough. I waited for the end to come, to take me away simply, but quickly.

Optimus, I failed.

My body felt like jelly when Megatron struck his sword down upon my frame. As I stood back up to full height, I looked around my frame finding nothing that indicated any damage.

"What?" I whispered in disbelief, overlooking my arms up to my servos before my optics fell on Megatron's angered expression.

"How can this be?" The Decepticon Warlord swiped at me again. I blocked the shot again in case the first time was a fluke. It didn't seem to be the case as my body again felt like jelly.

Then it clicked. How I could I forget?!

Megatron couldn't bring harm to me because I was real and not one of his creations!

Deciding to entertain my dearest enemy, I continued to fake dodge the swipes, well aware of the face that I couldn't be touched no matter what Megatron did to try and attack me.

"Come on Megatron. Hit me with your best shot," I smirked quietly to myself, "I promise, I can handle it."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Seeing Megatron continue to swipe and attack through her guardian's eyes, Carly was at first afraid of losing her friend when the Decepticon Warlord took the first swipe. But after a few more missed attacks from the Decepticon, Carly was beginning to smirk in realisation.

"Megatron can't touch 'Swept?" Raf asked with a small smile, causing Jack and the bored Miko to look up at the monitor.

"Because she is not a creation of Megatron's mind, Windswept is immune to his physical attack," Ratchet explained.

And if Carly didn't know any better, she would've missed the tiny little smile that appeared on the medic's face.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Megatron had long given up on the idea that he could swipe me into disintegration like he had done to the Optimus figments. So now, he was pacing right to left and left to right before me, trying to figure out why one of his 'simple figments' I decided to describe them couldn't be destroyed in blue fumes.

"You are not wearing phase displacement armour," He began, starting to circle around my form, "Your eyes track my movements so you're not a hologram. And I do not believe in spirits." He paused in his steps, looking down at me with thought and hidden anger, "So tell me, Windswept, What ARE you?"

"Megatron."

Megatron's optics widened, standing to full height at the sight of something behind me. I whipped around and also widened my optics at the sight that was standing before me. It was Optimus Prime, same as normal, but this time he had Bulkhead on one side of him and Sunburst on the other.

I shook my head at the sudden helm ache I was getting. No, no, this wasn't real! ...Was it? Was the real Bulkhead and Optimus and Sunburst standing before me?! Megatron stop confusing me! Please! Make this stop!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Bulkhead narrowed his optics at the sight of his doppelgänger standing beside his leader and his partner. Behind him, Jack, Raf and Carly exchanged worried looks.

Miko tightly grabbed onto the bars, lifting her feet off the ground, "Uh-oh. Special guest stars!"

"This is not good. Windswept's becoming confused with what is reality and what is Megatron's dreams," Ratchet warned.

"Of course she's gon' get confused, Ratch! Look who Megatron just brought out!" Aquastrike argued.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

It's just a dream. It's just a dream. Not my dream, but Megatron's dream. None of this is real! None of it!

With that now being said over and over in my mind to remind myself, I stole a few glances at Megatron before I raced over to my friends. They were just standing there, their optics only focused on what was behind me.

It's just a dream! It's just a dream!

"Optimus!" I yelled, looking at my leader desperately. No reaction. So I moved onto Bulkhead on my left, "Bulkhead!" I even waved at him and I still got nothing. So I leaped over in front of Sunburst on the far right, "Sunburst! Hey, it's me!" I dropped my voice so Megatron wouldn't hear, "Your sister."

Megatron growled in realisation behind me, a growl that end up becoming a scream of frustration. I turned around just in time to see him fire three shots, each one hitting my bulky friend, my leader and my brother.

...I just watched my brother die...

Oh Primus...!

"YOU are real. THEY were not," Megatron growled, taking a few steps away from me to figure out how I managed to get into his helm. Then he began chuckling, and I began shaking, "A cortical psychic patch. How unexpected."

Ratchet's voice came over the comms, but I was so angry at Megatron for practically killing my brother before my optics, I nearly missed his message, " _ **We've stirred Megatron from his oblivion. He's becoming self-aware.**_ "

"If this is my subconscious…" Megatron paused for a moment, turning and bending to my level, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING INSIDE MY HEAD?"

... Okay, this was going to be one of the ONLY times I would ever admit this... and poor ol' Sunburst gets to miss it...

...But I was kind of scared.

Can I wake up now?!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

While Arcee continued to guard the little hideaway and kept an eye on Megatron, Sunburst continued to watch over the female Autobot beside him, growing more worried by the second. She had been inside Megatron's helm for too long now. Something was happening, something that was beginning to make him worry.

He wasn't the only one to notice. Arcee looked over at the two, her blaster still activated, "What's taking her so long?"

"I don't know." Sunburst glanced at his side. "Come on 'Swept. I know you have a few scores to settle. But now isn't the time, okay? Don't let your anger over your past get to you, okay? Please do-"

At the sound of the doors sliding open and interrupting Sunburst, Arcee immediately checked through the small gap through the hideaway and froze at the sight.

Starscream and Slipstream had appeared into the room. Alongside their lackeys behind them.

"Knock Out, if you would be so kind as to provide your expert medical opinion to Soundwave for the historical record," Starscream requested.

"Simply put: unaided, Megatron could remain in this deathless slumber forever," Knock Out insisted, checking over the monitor.

"Lord Megatron would not have wanted to be seen this way," Moonlight sighed sadly, drifting a servo up the unconscious Decepticon's arm.

Starscream hummed in agreement, "Yes, we would only stand idly by his side while he remains captive in his own body. It's not just."

Soundwave and Rebecca exchanged a look of disbelief. Neither of them bought the act that Starscream, Knock Out and Moonlight were putting on. But of course, neither of them had their full belief in Starscream when he first became leader in the first place. So Soundwave and Rebecca moved over to monitors in front of Starscream, the former raising an arm at the monitor.

"His brainwave activity," Rebecca noticed, "It's still spiking hard."

"But it is NOT evidence of consciousness," Knock Out corrected, his optics narrowing at Rebecca.

"Megatron's merely in an endless dream from which he may never wake from," Moonlight revealed.

Rebecca crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, "Riiiight."

Slipstream, who had been surprisingly quiet from her position closest to the door, looked up at the brainwave activity that Soundwave and Rebecca had pointed out. It wasn't evidence of consciousness, but she had something that could make her true leader become conscious again. Something that was purring in her servo behind her back.

The Dark Energon sliver Starscream had pulled out of Megatron when they had found him.

"Soundwave, Rebecca we must face reality," Starscream began with a shake of his head, "Megatron is lost to us."

"The only honourable option would be to show him mercy," Knock out mumbled, causing Slipstream to look up in panic.

"A simple throw of the switch," Starscream clarified.

"Quick. Painless. Compassionate," Moonlight added.

Slipstream narrowed her optics at Starscream, tightening her grip of the Dark Energon sliver behind her back, "Starscream, have we tried all available options that we could provide for our master?"

Knock Out and Moonlight glared at the femme while Starscream chuckled nervously. He straightened up and also narrowed his optics at his twin, "Slipstream, a word if you please."

"With pleasure," The femme muttered.

The conversation between the twins wasn't something that concerned that two Autobots. It was giving them more time to allow the words that the Decepticons had said regarding their leader. About them turning off the life support for Megatron.

What they didn't know was that there was an Autobot within his mind searching for a cure for the Cybonic Plague.

Arcee turned to Sunburst, seeing his attentions being solely focused on her blue and red-striped teammate, and turned on her comm-link, "Ratchet, did you hear all that?"

* * *

"If Megatron perishes, Windswept's mind will remain separated from her body forever," Ratchet gravely explained to the team.

"We'll lose Optimus AND Windswept?" Carly gasped, looking over the slowly dying Optimus on the berth. She allowed herself to rest the side of her face against Jack's chest, closing her eyes as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Silently, she was begging that her guardian hurry up and find the cure so she could get back to the base like she had promised to.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Something was happening back at base... or somewhere in that hideaway. The team were becoming panicked in my audio receptor, but I was unable to understand them. My focus was way too locked on the Decepticon Warlord standing ahead of.

"The only way you could have entered my mind is via cortical psychic patch," Megatron hummed, taking a step down towards my level. "But the question remains: what happened to me?"

I chose silence over answering, starring deeply into Megatron's optics in hopes that it would throw him off so we could get to some serious business. But the longer I starred, the more I saw red. And the more I saw red, the more of an image I saw starting to appear in his optics.

I could see two Cybertronians through his eyes, one fully red femme and fully blue mech. They looked both frightened beyond words. Then I felt myself, through Megatron's optics, pull out his blaster cannon and kill the red femme with only one single shot of his blaster. The blue mech suddenly came into view, like he was surprised that Megatron had shot her. Megatron then activated his sword and stabbed the mech in the chest, the blue body also falling down beside the femme.

"The Space Bridge explosion?" Megatron suddenly gasped in realisation, "And yet, if you're in my head, I am not one with the AllSpark!"

Megatron must've figured out what occurred to him before his supposed death through my optics. Dammit, the more I stick around in here, the more aware he becomes of what's happening outside his dreams.

"So tell me, Windswept. Do I still function?" Megatron demanded.

Before I could even open my mouth to answer, Ratchet urgently commed over the radio, " _ **Windswept, we are out of time!**_ "

"Megatron, I'm gonna regret saying this." And really, I was, "But I need your help. Someone we know has been infected by the Cybonic Plague and I ne-"

"Cybonic plague? Someone besides myself is...is unwell?" Megatron asked concerningly.

Wait! CONCERNINGLY?! Megatron actually cared for once?!

Never thought I'd see the day.

Megatron took a moment to think of who it was that needed the cure so badly. He wasted no time figuring it out, "Optimus!" He began to chuckle at the predicament we were all in. "Such irony! But after ages of endless battle, the mighty Optimus Prime is felled by a simple virus from the distant past!"

I narrowed my optics at him, angered by his tone that he was using.

"And what makes you think I would save the life of my oldest enemy?" Megatron asked me, bending down to my level.

Oh Megatron, would you really allow your enemy to die because of a virus and not be your own hand?

Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute!

"Megatron, your treachery-!" Megatron waste no time shooting that Optimus into blue fumes, evaporating around us as he starred into my optics again.

"I can help you get what YOU want the most if you help me get what I need," I answered Megatron

"Oh? And just what is it that I want most, Windswept?" Megatron asked rhetorically.

"With the cure, I can help Optimus get better and thus, give you the chance to slay Optimus with your bare servos," I replied simply, crossing my arms.

Megatron chuckled, "Did you not see? I do slay Optimus by my own hand. AT WILL anytime I desire."

"Megatron, you will never slay Optimus with your own hands if you let the Cybonic Plague kill him," I retorted, "The REAL Optimus Prime. The reason why you're in this state in the first place!"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"So Windswept's using Megatron's personal desire to destroy the Optimus Prime beside us against him," Carly summarised, looking between Miko and Raf, "If Megatron lets Optimus die by a simple virus, he'll never get the chance to do it himself."

"Smart," Jack remarked.

"Twisted," Miko smirked.

"That's your 'Swept," Raf grinned, looking up at his sister.

Carly smiled back, looking back at the monitor, "Yeah, that's my girl."

* * *

"Slipstream, may I ask what in Unicron's name are you doing?" Starscream snapped when he joined his sister.

"What do you mean?! We have a simple way of bringing Megatron back to life with the use of this!" Slipstream hissed, looking over her shoulder to make sure that rest of the Decepticons in the room weren't looking over at them. Being fairly confident that they weren't, she pulled out the Dark Energon shard.

Starscream gasped, his hands covering the shard, "Slipstream, you can't leave that lying around here! If Soundwave or Rebecca saw what we had-"

"I'm tired of letting Megatron lie around on the berth while you lead the Decepticons to nothing!" Slipstream growled, "I've tried to stand beside you and guide you along, Starscream. But you can be pretty pathetic at times! We could've gained more of our army, but instead, you were so determined to destroy Optimus Prime in your name, you allowed our army to be destroyed to pieces!"

" **My** army will continue to grow while **I** am leader of the Decepticons, Slipstream," Starscream insisted, ripping the Dark Energon shard out of her hands, "With or without you by my side."

Tucking the Dark Energon shard into his subspace, Starscream turned around and walked back to the group of Decepticons around the unconscious Megatron. He left behind his twin near the door, who's jaw was nearly on the floor in disbelief of what Starscream had just told her.

She was no longer any kind of leader for the Decepticons.

"Soundwave, do **I** take your silence to mean you concur with Knock Out's medical expertise?" Starscream asked when he had arrived back to the group.

Soundwave refused to answer, starring at the Decepticon leader. Starscream and Knock Out exchanged a shrug before the former began reaching out for Megatron's life-support cable.

"Speak now or forever hold your peace," Moonlight sing-songed eagerly.

"Going…"

Unaware to the Decepticons, Arcee looked up at the sight of Starscream going to pull one of the cables off Megatron. If he were to start pulling off the cables, while her friend was still in Megatron's mind, she and Optimus could be lost to them.

Forever.

So Arcee aimed her blaster at the Decepticon, ready to attack if need be despite being two Autobots down.

"Going…"

"Hey! What's that?!"

Starscream inwardly groaned when Rebecca yelled out about something behind the berth Megatron was resting on. Spotting it also, Soundwave pointed towards the same area. The Decepticons followed Soundwave's arm, discovering a cable connected up to the berth and down towards one of the hideaways below.

An active cable.

Moonlight walked around to the back of the Cybertronian medical berth Megatron was resting on, finding the cable connected up to the bottom of the berth. Her eyes followed the sight of the cable, trying to figure out where it lead.

Arcee bent down out of sight of the Decepticons, trying to think of what to do now that the Decepticons had found the cable, "Scrap!"

Sunburst looked up at the frustrated Arcee before moving to a kneel beside his sister-in-law, "Come on, 'Swept! If you've got the cure, now's the time to let us know..."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"After our deep history together, to not watch the spark ebb from Optimus' eyes with my very own," Megatron began, one servo at his hip while the other curled into a fist.

"Uh huh," I nodded in encouragement, practically begging him to continue.

"Well played, dear Windswept. Although I am not surprised by your cunningness." He paused in the compliment, revealing the schematics for cure before my optics. "The chemical formula for the cure you seek…not that I expect you know how to read it."

Oh, I may not be able to read it. But I know a one or two 'bots who can.

I eagerly reached out for the cure...only for Megatron to curl his fist back up, making the cure evaporate into thin air. I widened my optics – that was my only chance!

"Not yet," Megatron sneered.

"What?" I whispered in frustration, "What do you want?!"

"Settle down, Windswept, I only need one thing," Megatron began, "Just how am I supposed to accomplish terminating Optimus as you propose while I'm trapped here in a perpetual daydream? Once you release me from this prison, you will have the cure."

I instantly wanted to decline that idea. There was no way Megatron was getting out this place with me! There was none! I was not going to allow him to be free in exchange for the cure! There must be some other way!

...Unless there were someone watching over me watching the schematics.

Any day now Ratchet...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

While Starscream and Moonlight observed the cable that they had discovered, the former holding it in his hand and inspecting where it lead to, Arcee and Sunburst were desperately trying to awaken their friend before them.

"Come on. Come on," Arcee begged quietly, grabbing her friend's shoulders.

"'Swept please, now's the time!" Sunburst whispered.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"You must guarantee my recovery. Or Optimus fades to ground metal graves…" Megatron threatened, "The REAL Optimus."

I nodded, "Anything for my leader."

I had to stall him for a little bit longer. Surely Ratchet and Starlight have got sight of the cure by now!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Meanwhile, at Autobot Outpost Omega One, Ratchet was busy rewinding and fast-forwarding the footage he gained from the eyes of the Autobot that had gone into Megatron's mind to gain the cure. Starlight was by his side, ready to yell at him to stop when he needed to.

"There!" The pink and white Autobot yelled, causing Ratchet to pause the frame where his helper had asked him to.

"Arcee, Sunburst, we have the formula! Disconnect Windswept now!" Ratchet instructed.

* * *

Arcee nodded at the instruction, moving around to the back of the red and blue-striped Autobot beginning to pull the cable out from her helm.

"Let's get you home 'Swept," Sunburst whispered gently, "You made a promise to a little lady back at Autobot base. I won't let you break that promise."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The world suddenly began crumbling around Megatron and I. Tall structures were falling and dust was following after them, this time not simply dissolving into thin air. This fantasy world that Megatron himself had created was falling apart right before his own optics.

And he couldn't do anything to stop it.

Ratchet and Starlight had gotten the cure!

"You were watching!" Megatron shouted in realisation, "YOU TRICKED ME!"

"In another lifetime Megatron!" Looking over my fading servos and arms, my form blew away before Megatron, disintegrating along with the rest of the world.

"NO! TAKE ME WITH YOU! TAKE ME!"

* * *

I awoke with a start, taking deep breaths as I came back to life. Looking around me suddenly to figure out where I was, I was beginning to quickly figure out that I was up against the wall. Exactly where I was before I went in to Megatron's mind.

Sunburst, Arcee and I stood up and activated our weapons just in time to see Starscream peak his head into the hideaway, screeching in disbelief at the sight of us.

"What in?!"

As Sunburst and Arcee retreated into the Groundbridge, I changed my aim of trajectory, aiming towards the cables over on Megatron's form.

"INTRUDERS!" Starscream... screamed, activating his blaster weapon.

"Allow me," I smirked, firing a blaster shot at the life support cable connected to Megatron's chassis. When the blaster shot hit the only cable keeping him alive, I smirked even more and back-flipped the hell out of the Nemesis and into the portal as it closed behind me.

Finally, it felt good to do that. See you in another life, Megatron!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

When the Groundbridge portal closed after the Autobots, a beeping sound began emanting from the monitor beside Megatron, signalling that death was upon the Decepticon Warlord now his life-support cable no longer plugged into his chest.

"It was the inevitable outcome," Starscream sighed as Soundwave stormed up to him and pointed towards his one and only leader.

"We cannot allow Megatron to die by an Autobot's hand," Moonlight growled in agreement, "It wouldn't be right."

"Knock Out," Starscream requested.

Arms crossed and shrugging, the vain red Decepticon waved off his Decepticon leader, walking to the medical berth. Grabbing the life support cable, Knock Out plugged it back into the dying Warlord's chassis.

The beeping stopped.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

When we returned to base, Ratchet and Starlight wasted no time developing a cure from the schematics they had taken from the footage from the video feed through my optics.

Man, I'm not gonna lie, that was a tiring experience. I'm just so glad to be home with my friends, like I had promised that I would... but the images I saw through Megatron's eyes still kept playing over and over in my mind. Who were those Cybertronians that he had killed? Why did I only see those images?

I shook my head and removed those thoughts. Optimus had only woken up an hour ago, having to needed be unconscious for the cure to work through all of his systems. When Optimus felt that he was ready, Ratchet and Starlight were immediately at his sides, helping him to his feet and guiding him towards us.

"That's it. Steady," Ratchet coached gently.

We all gave an applause for our leader pulling through and beating the virus. While Bumblebee, Aquastrike and Raf fist pumped the air above them, the rest of us clapped, thankfully for our leader to be awake and moving around healthily.

"Please. Reserve the hero's welcome for my physicians-" The two Autobots on either side of Ratchet shrugged beside Optimus like it was no big deal. Then Optimus waved his arm around at me. "-And our second-in-command."

I widened my optics at the sight of everyone turning to me, cheering and clapping loudly. I will admit, the attention felt like it was a bit too much. I didn't deserve all the credit after all.

"Please, i-it wasn't all my doing. I had the help of Arcee and Sun-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Sunburst cut me off, grabbing and sitting me onto his shoulder, "This time, just let yourself take the credit please!"

I just groaned in embarrassment, rubbing my forehelm as the cheering continued around me.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Since the ordeal with the Autobots aboard the Nemesis, Knock Out and Moonlight wasted no time running their usual scans and diagnostics and procedures that they had become so accustomed to performing on the unconscious form of Megatron.

"And how is the patient doing today?" Starscream asked when he appeared through the doors of the medical bay.

And since the ordeal went throughout the night, it seemed right for Starscream to say that it was indeed a new day.

"Funny you should ask." Knock Out began his reply, looking over his shoulder at the Lord of the Decepticons, "Not sure what the 'bots did in there. But Megatron's registering zero brainwave activity."

Starscream hummed as he studied the monitor, finding nothing spiking in Megatron's helm, "Meaning?"

"Physically, he's stable. But now, there's…no one home," Moonlight clarified.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

The cheering and clapping continued and to be honest, I wasn't liking it all. I really wasn't used to have all the attention surrounding me. It was all... all a little too much to be fair. But hey, as long as I had my friends and family, all which should be at near or full health, around me, what more could I ask for?

Something clicked in my mind and all I could see was red. Red glowing optics. Red piercing glowing optics. Red piecing glowing optics that belonged to someone I had just escaped from!

"I'm out. Or should I say in... In my niece's head!"

What?! In his niece's head?

Am I Megatron's niece?!

What the frag?!

* * *

Part two to this will be up hopefully within the next few days!

You guys know the deal - following, favouriting and reviewing inspires more updates!

Thank you for reading.


	15. Chpt 15: Out of His Head

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

Hello again fellow Fanfiction readers! I've just got home from work and am feeling very inspired to post up part two of this Sick Mind/Out of His Head saga!

Before I get into it, a special wee thank you should go out to Angelwings2002, who took the time to read every chapter of this story all the way up to now, and has favourited and reviewed! I'm very touched by you taking the time to read this! And I'm trying my very hardest to make these characters of mine as different and interesting as possible! Thank you very much for your kind words and I hope you enjoy the future chapters!

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept and the other OC's belong to me.

(Chapter Title: Get Out of My Head!)

* * *

"Follow the light."

I looked up suddenly at Ratchet shining a light in Optimus' optics, obviously checking him over to see if he had fully gotten over the Cybonic Plague. I sighed quietly beside Arcee, Sunburst, and Starlight, who whom, including myself, were still concerned about Optimus' well-being.

My concern wasn't exactly with Optimus well-being – well it was, but not all of it. I hadn't seen Megatron's red optics again since Arcee, Sunburst and I returned home yesterday. But that didn't mean that it was just a fluke. I was well aware of the possibility that Megatron was somehow inside my mind, preparing to use me as a pick to somehow bring himself back from the dead.

And if we're being honest, I'd say that's what might happen.

And I'm a little scared by that fact.

"Good. Good." Ratchet switched off the torch he was using to perform the optic check.

"Ratchet and I wouldn't advise anything strenuous, Optimus. But the scans show that your systems have fully recovered from the Cybonic Plague," Starlight announced happily.

The arms around Optimus' form separated from the Prime, allowing him to walk out of the medical chamber. He gave a nod at Starlight before looking at Ratchet, "Thanks to your medical expertise, old friend."

"It was your second-in-command who braved known territory to locate the cure," Ratchet added as he and Optimus looked over me.

I smiled embarrassingly, waving them off, "You can stop, Ratchet! Please!"

"Lucky for us Megatron was still alive," Arcee remarked.

Sunburst whipped his helm around to look down beside him at Arcee. Even I widened my optics at the words.

"You actually said that?" Sunburst questioned in disbelief.

"Yeah. I actually said that," Arcee replied, a tint of surprise evident in her voice.

"Wow. Those are words we are never ever gonna say again," Sunburst hummed, Arcee and I nodding in agreement beside him.

"What matters is that you are on the mend, Optimus" Ratchet interrupted us, looking up at the Prime, "While Megatron-"

"Should hopefully be pushing up lugnuts now," Sunburst cut in, looking down at me and clasping my shoulder, "For real this time."

"Maybe," I shrugged with an unsure tone, "I tried my hardest to finish Megatron's tale. Just a shame I didn't stick around long enough to see how it ended." I shuddered inwardly and looked over at Arcee and Sunburst. I couldn't let them know about those red optics. "Hey, I'm just gonna wait for the kids to come in. I'll see you guys later."

I began walking away before I got a response, walking down the corridor towards the main room where Bulkhead and Bumblebee should be arriving with the children any minute now. Arcee and I had stayed to oversee Ratchet and Starlight's scans to make sure that Optimus was a-okay.

I was just walking into the main room when a sudden pain in my helm made me grit my denta to stop myself from crying out for help. I fell to the side of the archway, my right shoulder pretty much holding my entire weight. I took a moment to recollect myself before I pressed my servos onto the wall to help myself stand, my optics locking onto my servos. I went to remove them off the wall, but I couldn't. It was like something was holding me back.

" _ **It is a matter of time before Optimus discovers all is not right with you, my niece,**_ " Megatron growled, the sight of Megatron's unconscious form on the medical berth in the Nemesis taking over my vision, " _ **I must reclaim my body…which means taking complete and total control of yours.**_ "

Megatron.

"No..." I whispered, ripping my servos off the wall and curling them into fists, "I won't..." Another sharp pain occurred in my helm, causing me to grit my denta again. "Let you..."

" _ **I have ways of making you, dear Windswept,**_ " Megatron argued. Suddenly the images of the Cybertronians that the Decepticon had murdered I had seen through his optics reappeared, " _ **You will help me, Windswept. Even if I have to torment you to do so.**_ "

The images of Megatron killing the red femme and the blue mech kept flashing in my mind. But this time, there was audio. The femme's Energon-curling screams made my audio receptors hurt. As she fell to the ground offline, the mech appeared in front of me, angrily waving his arms about.

" _ **You weren't supposed to kill her! We made a deal!**_ " That was all I heard from the mech before he was stabbed in his spark chamber, falling beside the femme.

The mech's voice... it was familiar...like I knew who he was. And the femme too! Even though I only heard her screams, their voices still sounded familiar. But I couldn't find a face to place their voices on. Come on, 'Swept! Think!

Images of the couple began flashing in my mind. I shut my optics tightly, watching the couple flash into my mind, different images of them, but still they looked the same.

" _ **My darlings**_."

I pushed myself off the wall in fright of the words, optics snapping open and looking around. No one was here.

That voice... I know that voice!

* * *

 **TRANSFORMERS PRIME**

* * *

"Basketball! By way of Cybertron!"

When the humans had returned to base, we all quickly grew bored with the video games that the humans like to enjoy playing. So they, along with all of us except for Optimus, Ratchet and Arcee, the latter who had gone out for patrol, decided on the human game of Basketball. But the Cybertronian version of it.

Sunburst and Aquastrike, who had just returned from her patrol, were on one side while Bumblebee and Bulkhead were on the other side. Starlight and I were on the crates near the controls – we had decided that we weren't getting ourselves involved in whatever this could turn out becoming. Miko was dancing around the back of the hoop Bulkhead had to protect while Jack, Carly and Raf were sitting on one of the air vents we had to repair from the Scraplet incident about a month or two ago.

I was unable to put any names to the voices that had appeared in my mind. Megatron had blocked me from attempting to locate anything in my mind that could help me remember. It meant that I couldn't do anything, but not let the team know - I didn't want to stress them in any way, so for now, I was just gonna have to sit and wait until the next time Megatron attacks.

"Let the games begin!" Miko announced before blowing the whistle

Aquastrike began twirling the ball, the same one Sunburst, Wheeljack and Bulkhead had lobbed with when Wheeljack was here, with her fore-digit easily with a grin, "Come on boys! You scared of loin' to a girl!"

"Yeah, yeah! Just throw the ball!" Bulkhead grumbled, smashing his fists together to prepare himself.

Aquastrike stuck her tongue out and chucked the ball towards the hoop Miko was standing around behind. With a laugh, Bulkhead snatched the ball out of the air before it landed through the hoop. He jumped around, ready to throw the ball when Aquastrike leaped in front of him, attempting to block the shot. With his sight blocked by the femme, Bulkhead managed to spot Bumblebee and chuck the ball at him, the latter catching it mid air and throwing towards the hoop.

Score!

"Yeah! Go, Bulk and Bee!" Miko cheered.

"This isn't going to be a fair match if we have the biased Miko as ref," Starlight muttered beside me.

I just shrugged beside her. Yeah, it was a little unfair. But I don't really feel arguing with a Japanese exchange student who could easily use that whistle of hers to her advantage.

As the ball rolled and bounced back over to Bumblebee, Bulkhead turned around to face Aquastrike and Sunburst, "Come on. Best two out of three!"

Bumblebee scooped up the ball and chucked it at Bulkhead, who quickly lobbed the ball at Sunburst to throw off his aim. But Sunburst never lets any so called trickery or games throw himself off. He managed to catch the hard lob, albeit nearly hitting the wall behind him, and soon, he was racing up towards the hoop, dancing around Bulkhead and Bumblebee's swipes at him to try and steal the ball of him to no avail.

Just as Sunburst was beginning to reach the hoop, the sharp pains I had earlier that morning appeared again. I grabbed my helm, gritting my denta tightly together so no noises would exit out of my mouth. I couldn't control what Megatron was doing inside my head but one thing was certain – he was starting to take control over me.

And that was something that was scaring me more so out of anything that has occurred to me in my life.

"DUNK IT SUNBURST! YOU'RE IN THE CLEAR!" I heard Carly cry out.

I felt myself watching Megatron punch Optimus. Then the images flashed, changing and showing me the Decepticon Spacebridge ahead of me. Flashes of the Terracon army Megatron was bringing through the portal appeared before I was suddenly looking up at the roof of the Spacebridge. It was beginning to break away just as the lead Terracon of the army was holding out his hand towards me, begging me to help pull him through.

Then the Spacebridge exploded around me in a ball of blue.

"Sunburst! Quit hogging the ball!" I heard Bulkhead complain.

There was a thud noise followed by much more noise as that mech and that femme appeared in my visions again, but this time they were joined by a blue and red-striped youngling.

A very familiar youngling.

Whirlwind?

The pain was starting to become to much for me to bare. I cried helplessly for help as I watched the femme and mech, like before, die by Megatron's hand. But this time, there was a new image. It was my sister crying and screaming.

" _ **You hurt them! You hurt my Carry and Crearry!**_ "

Carry and Crearry... They were nicknames Whirlwind and I... gave our parents while we grew up...

Oh... my... fragging... Primus...

"WINDSWEPT!"

I bolted up suddenly, my frame shaking as I looked around me. Sunburst was leaning over me, his grip on my shoulders tight like he had been shaking me to get me to respond. Starlight was on the other side of me, her servos resting on my arm and tugging gently. Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Aquastrike crowded around behind them. And right near my helm was a very distraught Carly.

H-How did I get on the ground?

"W-What?" I mumbled as I sat up, "How did I get down here?"

"What? 'Swept, you fell!" Sunburst exclaimed as he and Starlight helped me to my feet, "You mentioned something about Whirlwind!"

"I-I did?" I questioned with a stutter. Did I? I can't remember?

"You screamed her name," Starlight told me.

"Are you okay, 'Swept?" Carly asked me with concern, looking up at us.

I looked down my body. Everything seemed to be intact. Physically, I was okay. Mentally? Yeah, not so much.

"I'm fine," I lied in response, "I just have a helm-ache. It must be affecting me a bit more than it should be." I took a few steps away from Sunburst and Starlight to make sure that I was able to stand and walk on my own. I looked at the concerned group with a fake smile, "I'll be okay. Just need a big old rest."

"If yer sure t'ere Windy. If t'ere was somethin' wrong, you'd tell us, right?"

Yeah, normally.

I smiled at my worried friend, "Yeah of course, Aqua. You just go and keep playing basketball okay? Make sure you win for me!"

I continued walking, heading down the corridor where all the berthrooms were, listening to Miko blow the whistle behind me at something that must happened when I blacked out.

"FLAGRANT FOUL!"

"T'at ain' fair! We were helpin' a friend in need!" I could hear Aquastrike begin protesting in the background.

... I couldn't believe what I had seen in the visions. Megatron... he murdered my parents. But why?! WHY!

And how am I his niece?!

It's not like I could really ask him as such. I didn't know how he was moving around in my mind. I didn't know how much control he was starting to have over me, if he didn't have complete control yet.

The sharp pains in my helm returned once more, freezing me on the spot as Megatron's glowing red optics appeared once more.

" _ **If I am to return to my body, I must first restore its functionality,**_ " Megatron pondered, closing his optics.

I began to realise how much control he was beginning to have over me when I felt my optics black out when his did, " _ **How did I escape annihilation?**_ "

My optics came to life once more, seeing something land on top of me – or what I presumed was now Megatron's form. I looked around at the sight of floating shrapnel.

The remains of the Decepticon Spacebridge after the explosion.

Then I felt something being pulled from chest, painfully fast and roughly. Optics widening, I looked up at the Dark Energon shard that had pumped through Megatron before his final moments.

" _ **Of course! Dark Energon!**_ " Megatron gasped in realisation.

It was being held up by someone, someone who had pulled out Megatron's life force for a reason. The person looked over at me – or Megatron, I don't even know now – with a smirk of glee.

I gasped.

The images disappeared and Megatron's optics reopened angrily now that he – or we – had realised who it was that attempted to murder him.

" _ **Starscream**_."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The Decepticon Warship was flying above the clouds for a change, allowing the round and bright full moon to cast a spotlight on the ship. The stars twinkled around the ship, lighting up the Warship further. It was a beautiful sight, really.

If only anyone cared.

"Knock knock! Is anyone in there? ... No? Oh well. Seems I possess the only thing that would allow you to rise off that slab and walk again. My dearest Megatron." Proudly, Starscream held up the Dark Energon shard that he had stolen off his sister. "The only scrap left on this planet!" He threw the shard up in the air, letting it spin around before landing back into his hand with ease, "Plucked from your very spark chamber! But, it cannot restore your mind. The Decepticons need a leader. NOT a decorative centrepiece. And I will convince them that I am the true heir to your throne. With a plan so epic-!"

"Not even the mighty Megatron could have conceived it?"

Starscream turned around to find Knock Out and Moonlight at each side of the doorway, leaning lazily on the arches with amusement.

"That was the idea, Knock Out," Starscream nervously nodded. Then he let his voice drop lowly, embarrassed by the fact that he had an audience during his speech to the comatose Megatron, "How long have you two been there?"

Moonlight pushed herself off her side of the doorway, her smirk still proudly resting on her lips, "Oh, long enough."

"And it's Commander Knock Out and Commander Moonlight to you," Knock Out added as he and Moonlight bowed before Starscream.

"Once and future Lord Starscream." Said Lord looked on proudly at the words and the attention he was finally getting. And from two of his most supportive followers! He couldn't believe it!

"Lord Starscream, where is your co-leader? Lady Slipstream?" Moonlight asked kindly, looking around Megatron's berth with her optics.

"Slipstream has been relieved of her duties, Commander Moonlight. She is no longer leader or has any involvement with the Decepticon leadership any more," Starscream answered, a smirk playing onto his lips.

* * *

If Carly didn't think that there was something wrong with her guardian yesterday, then she would've definitely thought something was wrong now.

When she had first walked out to the garage to alert her friend that it was time for her to be taken to school, the brown-haired girl was surprised to not find her red and blue-striped motorcycle resting on the driveway for her.

And since she hadn't received a call from her friend or anyone from Autobot base, it was more than safe to say that something was seriously wrong.

So while she continued to wait and allow the time to pass, she pulled out her phone from her pocket and dialled a familiar number.

" _ **Carly, where are you? Class is starting!**_ " Jack whispered.

"Well, hello to you too babe," Carly rolled her eyes at the boy, "'Swept never turned up to take me to school. And her comm-link's been switched off again. Did Arcee mention anything to you this morning?"

" _ **Now that you say it, Arcee did mention something about 'Swept still acting weird,**_ " Jack answered, " _ **But she thought that was just her in general.**_ "

"Odd. I'm getting really concerned, Jack," Carly hummed worriedly, looking down each side of the road before sighing, "Can you let anyone that asks know that I'm not turning in today. Tell them I'm ill."

" _ **Then where are you going to be?**_ "

"I'm calling base to tell them that they need to pick me up. If something's wrong with my friend, then I need to be there for her. I'll see you later, babe."

" _ **I'll call you during lunch.**_ " That was all Carly allowed Jack to say before she hung up and began dialling another number. She dumped her bag on her side and let the phone ring. When she got an answer, she walked up to the mail box, leaning an arm on it.

"Sunburst? Yeah, it's Carly. Can you come pick me and Raf up? I think something's wrong with 'Swept."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Megatron haunted my dreams all night last night. He continued to torment me about my parents' death and how it came to be. New flashes of images appeared in my visions, but they kept being repeated as the night went on.

The images showed my parents walking towards Megatron with me and Whirlwind in their hands. Then my creator bowed before Megatron and mentioned something about recruiting part of his new army. It was like my creator had betrayed us and my carrier. We were forced into servos of some Decepticon drones and they made us watch Megatron murder our carrier before our optics. We had screamed in pain at the loss of her while our creator stormed towards Megatron and argued that his spark-mates death wasn't part of the plan. But Megatron had said that it needed to be done and he ended up turning his back on our creator, killing him on the spot.

I couldn't believe it. Slipstream had told me once that Megatron had fed Whirlwind and I lies to keep on us on the Decepticon side. She had told me that Megatron was there to OVERSEE the death of my parents.

What we didn't know was that Megatron was the one to MURDER them.

But what didn't add up was the fact that I couldn't remember their deaths. As far as Whirlwind and I knew, we had grown up on the Decepticon side.

So... did that mean that I hadn't grown up with the Decepticons? Were we Neutrals like we first thought? Did we know Sunburst longer than we were made to believe?

As I walked into the main room, all these questions and more were swirling into my helm. It just didn't make sense! None of it! Why had Megatron lied to me?! And what did he do to make us forget?!

My optics locked onto one of Ratchet's tools just the sharp pains in my helm returned. I could feel myself walking over to the tool, losing whatever control that I just had. I couldn't control a thing! Megatron please! Stop!

I grabbed the tool and starred at it for a moment, listening to Megatron urge me to destroy the darn thing.

" _ **Yes. Go on, my niece. Obey my will.**_ "

I fought as hard as I could, really I did, but Megatron's control over me was starting to become too strong. I could only watch as the tool was destroyed by my servo.

"WINDSWEPT!"

Uh-oh.

I slowly turned around to see my favourite medic starring at me in disbelief.

"I NEEDED THAT!" he cried when he saw what was in my servo.

"Sorry," I apologised quietly, looking down at the tool I was forced to destroy.

"What has gotten into you?" Ratchet asked me softly.

I refused to make optic contact with him so I wouldn't tell him what's going on. I couldn't tell him! I didn't want to make him or anyone else worry about me like half the team already were! They had other things to be bothered about.

Ratchet placed a servo on my shoulder, "Don't think that I'm not well aware of your little fall yesterday, Windswept. Sunburst told me all about it last night."

... Yeah, that sounds like Sunburst. Always worrying about me.

If I didn't do something soon, then Megatron will just gain more control over me as time went on.

I sighed, looking up at the orange and white medic, "Ratchet, I need your help. I keep getting visions of Megatron's face. And he keeps showing me visions of my past! Things I didn't even know about!"

"You're seeing Megatron's face?" Ratchet asked with a concerning tone.

I nodded at him – and that was all I got to do before he escorted me into the medical chamber near the main room. While he connected me up into the chamber, most of the team members in the main room saw us and sported concerned looks.

"Ratchet? What's going on?" Starlight asked as she, Bumblebee and Aquastrike began approaching us.

The disoriented sounds of car doors opening and slamming shut made me force myself to keep my optics open. Something was wrong if one of the humans were here - they should be in school!

"'Swept?!" Carly's voice was distant, like she was on the other side of the room. But I knew very well that she wasn't too far away. It was because I was slowly falling away into stasis.

"What's happening?!" The urgency and panic in Sunburst's voice was all I got to hear before my optics blacked out and I began fading further into unconsciousness...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Windswept has been complaining of intermittent visions. Waking nightmares, if you will," Ratchet informed the team.

"But you said Windswept was fine when you and Starlight checked her over!" Carly protested

"We only did a physical scan on her Carly," Starlight corrected with a shake of her helm, "We never performed any mental health checks on her because we first believed that she could handle what she just went through." The white and pink femme looked over at her friend in the chamber, biting her lip, "I regret not performing it now."

"The experience she endured seems to be having a temporary effect on her psyche," Ratchet further explained, "This induced coma should allow Windswept's mind to rest and recover."

Carly starred at her friend helplessly, watching her body fall limp in the arms of the medical chamber. Why didn't she think to talk to friend to make sure that she was okay? It was obvious that something was wrong – after all, she did see her friend collapse the day before! She shook her head; there was nothing she could do now. Nothing but to sit down in front of the chamber and hug her brother tightly beside her.

A familiar beeping sound began emanating from monitors. As the Autobots began approaching the controls just in front of the medical chamber, they realised that they were receiving an incoming call. Ratchet pressed a command on the screen to accept the call, and no sooner had he done that, a familiar dark-skinned man appeared on the screen.

" _ **Prime! You spot any Decepticons wearing hula skirts lately?**_ "

"No, Special Agent Fowler," Optimus replied, looking slightly confused as to why his liaison would be asking such a question, "Why?"

"' _ **Cause I was hoping you'd have a lead on the 'Cons that busted into the Hawaiian Naval Observatory,**_ " The Agent answered, " _ **Place looks like it was hit by an army of wrecking balls.**_ "

"Why would 'Cons break into an observatory?" Arcee questioned

" _ **Does the Heuck Nigoghossian ring any bells?**_ "

"The space telescope," Raf recognised as he walked up to stand beside Optimus.

" _ **As of last night, missing its primary lens,**_ " Agent Fowler added.

"It's difficult to guess Starscream and Slipstream's intent without knowing where the lens has been taken," Optimus told the Agent.

" _ **Good thing the lens has a tracking device.**_ "

The team looked up at the main monitors where a map of planet Earth was displayed before them. The computers wasted no time zooming in on a certain part of map, a small red box indicating a familiar sight for some of the team.

"Ain' t'at what t'ese humans call 'T'e Arctic'?" Aquastrike questioned, cocking her head to the side.

"Great," Arcee rolled her optics as she remembered a few memories from her last encounter with the polar region, "Another chance to freeze our spark-plugs off."

Bulkhead meanwhile, whistled at the sight that map zoomed in on, "That's a ND7 class. Biggest un-mineable Energon deposit there is."

"Un-mineable until Starscream melts his way down to it," Optimus corrected.

"With the help of the lens," Arcee piped in.

" _ **Melting a glacier that size would cause sea levels to rise and to demolish coastal cities.**_ "

Optimus narrowed his optics and nodded his head at the information Agent Fowler had just provided. He would not allow human causalities to occur under his watch. He simply refused to.

* * *

The sun was shining brightly upon the snowy-white land known as the Arctic, its' heat lighting up the blinding ground known as the snow. A few clouds floating alongside the source of the sun rays, barely blocking the blue sky that joined the nice day with the sun. Floating around below the clouds and blue sky was a familiar Decepticon Warship, resting just above and between the glaciers.

"Let the reign of Lord Starscream begin," Starscream announced, his arms folded and a smirk playing upon his lips.

Behind him, Knock Out and Moonlight were proudly standing beside him, proving that they were now the Second-In-Commands. The red, vain Decepticon known as Knock Out raised an arm up, allowing a device to appear before Starscream's optics. The trio of Decepticons watched the device become active, locking its' eye down onto something on the ground.

Orange rays began circling around the eye of the weapon, powering up with a whirr. The middle was shining a bright yellow and slowly darkening into an orange around the edges of the circle of the weapon. When the weapon was fully charged, it release a beam of fire, the orange and yellows striking down towards the snowy land below.

* * *

While Optimus Prime, Arcee, Bulkhead and Starlight were out to explore the Arctic to see what the Decepticons were planning, Sunburst and Aquastrike rested in the main area of the base, keeping an eye on their friend, or sister in Sunburst's case, currently in a coma induced by Ratchet in the medical chamber.

Sunburst was angry at himself for not being able to help his sister-in-law sooner. He knew that something was wrong. She hadn't been herself since she had left Megatron's mind. Primus, he fragging saw her collapse before his optics the day before! Everyone did! And yet, he allowed her to just walk around freely and continue to act like nothing was wrong.

"So when Pilar said that motorcycles weren't that fast, I proved to her that they were faster than she thought by speeding past her in less than five seconds."

"Her face was so white and in shock, you'd think she'd seen a million ghosts!"

Sunburst and Aquastrike looked down at the two humans at the bottom of the medical chamber, talking excitedly to the unconscious femme. The two Esquivel kids didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that the femme wasn't replying. And that seemed strange to the two Autobots, who exchanged a look of confusion.

"Hey, ya know t'at 'Swept 'ere ain' gon' hear ya if she's in power-down mode, right?" Aquastrike asked confusingly, causing the two humans to look up at the aqua blue femme curiously.

"Rafael, Carly, it's getting late," Ratchet announced before either of the humans could reply, walking into the room, "Why don't I bridge you both home to your family?"

Carly looked at the mech in disbelief, "Raf and I told Windswept that we'd stay." The brown-haired girl looked up at the unconscious femme worriedly, "We're worried about her. She's like family to us, just like Bee."

"Don't be ridiculous," Ratchet scoffed.

"Humans and Cybertronians aren't even the same species, Carly," Sunburst added.

"That's being related," Rafael corrected with a shake of his head, "It's not the same thing. We'll show you." The small boy pulled out his phone from his pocket, flipping it open and pressing a few commands on the keypad. He held up the phone at the three Cybertronians, revealing an image on the screen. "This is our family."

The image showed a recent family picture showing seven members of the Esquivel family. The tallest figure at the back looked similar to Raf, her hair shaped like his and having the same red-rimmed glasses like him. The rest of the family included a tallish teenage girl who looked like Carly beside the tallest figure on the left, a slightly shorter boy beside the teenager, a smaller girl with pigtails in front of them, another female child in front of an older male behind her and finally, a small child who looked exactly like Raf.

Ratchet took a step down to have a look at the image before nodding and humming at the image uninterestingly, "Mm-hmm, it's very nice."

"You mean, it's very LARGE!" Carly corrected, shaking her head like she was remembering something about her family.

"Sometimes, Carly and I can shout and no one hears us. We only have each other to listen to."

The uninterested orange and white medic only shook his head, "Yes, yes, yes, yes."

"But since we met you guys, we've had more friends to talk and listen to. Bumblebee always listens to us. And we can understand him," Raf explained, looking over at Bumblebee at the monitors, "We don't know why, but we do."

Carly looked up at her unconscious friend with a small smile, "And Windswept isn't just my guardian any more. She's my best friend. I can talk to her about anything and she won't judge me. She can talk to me and I won't judge her. When I think about my life before meeting you guys, it's hard to think how I coped without her."

Aquastrike and Sunburst shared a sad smile. The humans considered their teammates their family. It was a term that they had become familiar with at Iacon with their teammates and friends. But when the two Autobots arrived onto the planet only a few months ago and joined Team Prime, they were unsure if they could really call their team a family again.

Seeing the humans discuss their bonds with their guardians made the two Autobots know that they didn't have to worry about the term. Because they knew that that was what the team were becoming if they already weren't one.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Where am I?

Am I dead?

"Windswept."

What's going on?

A blinding light appeared in my vision, forcing me to block my eyes away from the white light. A black figure began appearing in the middle of the white light, walking slowly closer and closer.

Alpha Trion? Is that you?

Wait…

AM I DEAD?!

"Relax, my dear niece. You are not offline...yet." The voice chuckled in some sort of amusement.

Oh… it's just Megatron.

Why would Megatron be so amused by this?! I'm certainly not! I mean, come on! I don't know where I am! This place… it's pitch black and with the white light disappearing, it's hard to see Megatron's dark silver form at all. But I know he's there.

Those red piercing optics of his may haunt me for the rest of my life after this.

A cold breeze brushed past, causing me to wrap my arms around my torso to keep myself warm. As I did so, certain words of Megatron's continued to swirl around me.

My. Dear. Niece.

"Why do you keep calling me your niece?!" I asked him in a yell.

"Because you are my niece," Megatron answered simply.

Images of parent's deceased frames flashed into view again as I looked into his red optics, "How?"

"Your creator was my dear brother. He met your carrier before the war began. They fell in love quickly and sparkbonded," Megatron explained, a hint of disgust in his voice, "Why my brother chose love over being a gladiator, I will never know."

"Love always wins." I nearly smiled at thought of my charge who once spoke those three words to me not too long ago. It had been a few days after the racing incident and it had all been a few days since Jack and Carly finally decided to act on their feelings.

She believes in love. She believes in love always finding a way. She believes that love will always prevail.

And so do I.

"Love is a powerful weakness during war, my dear niece. You would do well to remember that."

Right… Megatron's still in my head. It's not some twisted dream or nightmare or anything like that. It's all real.

"This dear Carly…" Megatron began, humming for a moment, "Is she special?"

Rage boiled up inside of me. I had to use all of my willpower not to lose control. I gritted my denta together angrily, "Leave her out of this!"

"She is, then." Megatron hummed once more.

My hands flew up to the sides of my helm when more sharp pains began appearing once more. I couldn't take it any more! I just needed him out and gone!

"What do you want from me?!"

The red optics scrunched up slightly as the silver and slightly purple Decepticon chuckled, "That's no way to treat family, dear Windswept."

I don't care, Megatron! If you can hear these thoughts, then pay attention! I want you gone! How can I get you out of my head so I can be back to the way I am?! Please Megatron! I'll do anything! I promise!

"Do you treat all of your teammates this way?"

Don't you dare!

"Do you treat your friends this way? Your brother-in-law? What's his name? Sunburst? And what about the others? How about Optimus?"

I suddenly began to feel weak, my legs becoming unable to hold up my frame. I fell to my knees, my servos still gripping my helm as Megatron's frame began stomping closer to me, "Optimus… is my leader. A Prime! I treat him..." Come on Windswept! Do not let this pain and this weakness make you suffer! "...With the utmost respect!"

"How come you treat him with respect but you don't treat me like that?" Megatron asked, his red optics turning slightly as if the Decepticon Warlord was cocking his helm to the side, "We both deserve the same amount of respect. After all, we are _all_ family."

We're all family? What?

"What do you mean?" I asked him as he stopped his walk just in front of me.

He bent down to my level, looking deeply into my optics, "Dear Windswept, you had to get those purple optics of yours somewhere."

What are you getting at?

"Orion Pax wasn't just an only Cybertronian youngling. He had a sibling - an older sister. She was a descendant like Orion. But dear Moxiestrom didn't want to follow tradition. She didn't want to follow in Solus Prime's footsteps like she was meant to."

Solus Prime? The creator of all those weapons like Alpha Trion taught me and all my friends back at Iacon? She created the biggest, baddest weapons! The Star Saber, the Apex Armour, the Requiem Blaster! Oh wow, even the weapon that was named after her – The Forge of Solus Prime!

Alpha Trion told us stories about the Thirteen. He told us about Liege Maximo, who had began plotting to see which of the Thirteen Primes were the most like Unicron after their battle in defeating him. Each of the Thirteen were tainted with slight darkness after their fatal fight. Maximo had Megatronus try and steal this armour that he needed for these 'robotic beasts' he was creating.

Alpha Trion also told us about the tragic love between Solus Prime and Megatronus. They both became so close to one another and they both deeply cared about one another. But, they both had such strong, fiery personalities. And unfortunately, it was this that was part of the reason why Megatronus killed Solus Prime with the Requiem Blaster. She professed her love to Megatronus before she passed in his arms.

A sharp pain hit me in the helm once more when the name Moxiestorm continued flash in my mind. Why is that name so familiar? Why can't I remember that name? Why do I sense that these words are so close to me and yet I can't remember what or who they are?!

"My dear sister-in-law fell in love with my brother. She was a descendant of Solus Prime and she was meant to be remembered by such a title. But she refused the name and wished to be her own individual. When the war for Cybertron began, it was her mistake to not take on the role. For us, it was a joy," Megatron explained. He grabbed my chin with his clawed digits, making sure that I was looking at and listening to him, "My dear niece, you are not only my niece, but you are the Optimus Prime's niece! And a descendant of Solus Prime!"

I couldn't believe it.

My creator was a descendant of Solus Prime?! Whirlwind and I are descendants of Solus Prime?! How was this even possible?! I mean, come on! Every femme alive is a bare descendant of Solus Prime.

Maybe my carrier was a direct one...

… Optimus Prime and I are related. Like Megatron and I.

… All this time I had desired to be a Prime… and running in my veins were the Energon of the once living Solus Prime!

"How?" It was the only word I could whisper once I allowed all the information to begin sinking in.

"Moxiestorm was created by Primus himself. Just like Orion Pax. Both were destined for greatness. But only one claimed the title of the Matrix. The other simply chose love to guide her path. A costly mistake that lead her to her death before me."

None of this made any sense! ...Well, some of it, but still! How could I not remember any of this?! Why would I not remember any of these important details?! Give me some answers, Megatron! Please!

The sharp pains came hurling back into my helm as Megatron stood to full height before me. I wanted to stand my ground and prove that I wasn't as weak as I was showing Megatron to be. But these pains were starting to make my helm dizzy.

"M-Megatron..." I gasped out, looking up at him.

"You want to know why you don't remember," The Warlord hummed, looking down at me. A grin started appearing on his face, letting fear and panic seep into my body once more, "We needed to convince you and Whirlwind that you had been with the Decepticons from the start. So we took away everything you knew."

I looked away from him, letting out gasps of breath every few seconds as I processed the information. It was Megatron who took away our memories... How?

I felt my body suddenly fall backwards onto my side, pain almost erupting immediately from my stomach when sudden contact was made. Groaning and clutching my stomach, I looked up at Megatron, who was baring his denta at me at the joy of seeing me in pain on the ground before him.

"Why..." I wheezed, coughing to try and be able to speak properly, "Why tell me... this... now?"

"Because now, I can gain control on your body and find myself a way to bring myself back to life!" Megatron laughed, his chuckles echoing around me.

Megatron told me all this information about me to weaken me while I was already trapped. And while I was weak, he could start to take full control of my helm and my body.

And I could only lie here in pain and let him.

"MEGATRONNNNNNN!"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The four Autobots continued their journey through the snowy-white land known as the Arctic, determined to figure out where the Decepticons intended on doing with telescope lens. But with the location of hidden Energon hidden beneath the white snow they were currently trudging in, it wasn't too hard to guess what the Decepticons might have planned.

But that wasn't the thing Arcee was concerned about. She was more interested in the differences between this trip to the Arctic and her last visit, "A lot different than our last polar visit. Feels like summer."

Bulkhead went to walk around a glacier to continue the search for the Decepticons when he caught sight of something around the corner. He paused and hid behind the corner, looking around and watching the sight before him, Optimus, Arcee and Starlight, "Here, that's a bad thing."

The Autobots spotted the Decepticon Warship floating high above the white snow. But that wasn't what really bothered them. What bothered them was the giant orange and yellow beam travelling down from the Warship to the glacier below, the snow melting away so it could reveal the Energon that was hidden.

"If Starscream melts enough of the snow, then it's goodbye to the Arctic as we know it," Starlight whispered as she stood up.

"Autobots," Optimus began, grabbing the attention of the three Autobots, "Remember the end run on Polyhex?"

"The place where Cyberton's Satellite Command Centre was located before the Decepticons bombed the area," Starlight realised, looking up at Optimus. She may not've been there to be part of it, but she sure had heard of it. "What'd you have in mind?"

* * *

The group of Autobots and humans continued to watch over their friend, still in power-down and resting from her latest mission.

Sunburst, although very, very concerned when the decision was made, was proud of his sister-in-law for going on the dangerous mission. He was proud of the femme for not wasting time and quickly coming up with ideas to fool Megatron, allowing Ratchet and Starlight to steal frames of the cure.

But now that she was in power-down, allowing to rest from the ordeal, Sunburst was more concerned. He knew there was something wrong! He knew! His instincts were right... and his actions weren't. He should've helped her.

He broke a promise that he had made back on Cybertron.

Promises weren't made to be broken. They were made to be kept.

"You lot." Sunburst shook his head from his thoughts as he, Aquastrike, Carly and Raf looked up at the approaching Ratchet, "I'm going to the supply vault to see if I can find parts to repair this. Do you know what that means?"

Sunburst and Aquastrike exchanged a knowing look as they spoke with the Esquivel siblings, "Don't touch anything."

Eyeing the two Autobots with suspicious looks, Ratchet turned away and began his journey to the supply vault down the corridor.

"Ratchet doesn't trust you two, huh?" Carly teased, grinning up at the aqua blue and the yellow and white striped Autobots.

"Of course Ratchet trusts us!" Sunburst scoffed, flexing one of his arms, "These guns are trustable!" The Cybertronian pointed to his friend beside him. "Unlike this robot cow-femme here."

Aquastrike shrugged, "I don' really care if Doc Bot trusts me or not, ta be fair wit' y'all." She elbowed Sunburst in the side, grinning proudly. "And I ain' _jus'_ a sou'hern-speakin' Cybertronian! I 'appen to be a tough-as-nails femme who's gon' knock you out if you continue speakin' t'at way."

Sunburst overlooked his resting friend briefly. He knew he should just keep still and watch over her, but he also knew she'd be egging him on. "Bring it, cow-femme!" He punched his fists and followed the aqua blue Autobot out to the controls.

As the two circled each around the Autobot logo, the Esquivel siblings shrugged at one another before Raf began walking over to the last step on the stairs. Carly took one look over her shoulder to make sure that her guardian would be okay without her. With a sad smile, she slowly followed after her brother out.

Her close friend was getting some well-earned rest. Nothing could go wrong with that...

Right?

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

There was so much pain coursing through my body. I couldn't take it any more! I felt so weak and powerless against Megatron. It didn't matter if I wanted to do anything to stop him or not.

I wouldn't be able to anyway.

"Megatron..." I wheezed, clutching my optics shut at the pain inside me, "Please..."

Megatron was gonna have a field day with me begging at my breaking point.

Red optics stared at me before a chuckle started echoing around me. Even though the darkness was still surrounding us, I could actually see the Warlord bare his denta while he chuckled.

It had my frame shaking.

"It's time."

"NOOO! Please... please! Have... mercy..."

There was nothing I could do to make Megatron stop from taking full control of me.

My optics opened...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Come on Sunshine! Jus' give up now while ya still have ya dignity!"

...The sparring match between Aquastrike and Sunburst quickly became a match of personal dignity and bragging rights. While Carly and Rafael just sat and watched the match unfold, they quickly found themselves rooting for Sunburst, who was currently the underdog in this battle.

He would need a miracle in order to win.

"I... will... not... surrender!" Sunburst growled, his arms shaking from holding off Aquastrike's weight for so long.

Then something caught his optic behind his teammate. Someone who should've been resting in the power-down that Ratchet had induced. Someone who was starting to make their way towards them.

"Windswept?"

"Sunshine, I know yer pretty bad at hand-to-hand combat, but I didn' know t'at you were bad at names too!"

Carly was confused by the sudden turn of events. Was Sunburst starting to feel the effects of being unwell just like her guardian? Could that even be possible considering everything that Team Prime had already been through?

"Carly?" The girl felt a small tug on her arm, hearing the small gulp in her little brother's voice. Looking down at her brother, she found him pointing at something behind them. Gulping herself, the brown-haired girl looked behind her and gasped in fright.

"'Swept?!"

"Oh come on!" Aquastrike groaned, peeking behind her to look at the humans, "Now 'e's got ya playin' 'is game too?!" That was when she noticed that the siblings weren't watching the sparring match any more.

They were actually starring at the standing figure of their friend herself.

"Windy?" She gasped in disbelief.

The blue and red Autobot didn't acknowledge any of her friends, optics locking onto the Groundbridge controls, immediately taking footsteps towards them.

Sunburst's attention went back to Aquastrike, looking up at her in a panic. They had to figure out what was wrong with their friend.

Aquastrike looked at him sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head, "Huh, ahh... heh, ya see... I-I t'ought that y-you were uhh-WOOOOAAHHH!"

The yellow and white-streaked mech had to figure out was wrong with his sister-in-law _now_.

So he threw Aquastrike off his frame and quickly proceeded to stand up, quickly walking over to his friend who was already fiddling around with the Groundbridge controls.

"Hey 'Swept? You okay? What's going on?"

His friend chose to not answer him, too focused on the work before her on the small screen. She pulled the lever of the Groundbridge controls down, turning to face the tunnel when the familiar whirring sounds began.

"Windswept! What are you doing?!" Carly asked her guardian, running towards her guardian with her brother in tow.

Completely ignoring everyone around her, she quickly set her sights on the Groundbridge. Before everyone knew it, their friend had walked through the Groundbridge before them, disappearing in the green and blue swirls.

"What did you lot do?" Sunburst nearly jumped at the sound of Ratchet making his presence behind him.

"We did nothing!" Carly cried out in answer, looking up at the sceptical medic, "Promise!"

Ratchet didn't believe the teenager at first, narrowing his optics at the two humans before setting his glare at Sunburst. They had one bloody job... and Sunburst of all mechs couldn't do his duty.

"The lil' lady's right." The orange and white mech looked around Sunburst to find Aquastrike, down on one knee and wiping her mouth from what Ratchet believed was a small Energon leak on her lip, "'Swept jus' wen' up 'nd left for no Primus-damned reason!"

It was Sunburst' turn to glare at the femme, who was using language that he believed shouldn't have been used around the humans, "Aqua! Seriously? Not around th-"

"Windswept was in power-down!" Ratchet reminded the Autobots of the current situation, "Where does she think she's off to?"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I never had someone take control of me before. I've been through a lot of things in my life such; being lied into the wrong team, having to escape those lies to see the real truth... I've even been to death's door and back once! But never before have ever felt my arms and legs moving like this.

Without my control.

I tried to fight against Megatron. But his control was far too powerful. _He_ was far too powerful. The more I tried to push against him, the more I felt like I was being pushed to the ground like he was the bully and I was his innocent victim.

In this case I was… but that's not the point.

Megatron had used the Groundbridge to take us to a place that was a familiar sight to me. And for Ratchet and Optimus to if they were here. The site was the once battlefield that Optimus, Ratchet and I fought on when we were fighting the undead Cybertronian army that had been controlled by the one and only Megatron himself. Pieces of the undead were still scattered around us, the once reanimated pieces that would, hopefully, be unable to be brought back to life.

"Where is it? Where?" Megatron wondered intently, searching around the battlefield through my optics.

 _He threw the shard to the ground in front of us where it disappeared below the surface. At first, we were nothing but silence as we waited to see what it would do. Suddenly, the ground started to show cracks, glowing a burning purple. I gasped as I watched Megatron stab himself with Dark Energon, now possessing himself with limitless power._

When the memory ended, I gasped in disbelief.

Megatron was now tapping into my memories to remember what happened with the Dark Energon shard.

The Warlord must have remembered where it was now. My helm whipped around to my left, and there it was. The shard had made a gaping hole in the ground, glowing the same burning purple. Focusing my optics, we began making our way over to the shard.

The purple Energon purred contently as my hand wrapped around it, slowly pulling it out of the ground. Megatron brought it close to our optics, making sure that it hadn't been damaged since he had seen it. It seemed to remain intact, its rough and uneven edges still giving the shard its' shape.

I felt my energy start to disappear from my body... like something was making me weak... something that I had just come into contact with... Of course, the Dark Energon! But it doesn't make sense! I haven't been near the stuff since Arcee and I lost Cliffjumper and some of the Dark Energon he was reanimated with got on our hands...

Why was I being affected this way now? I had never been affected by the Blood of the Unicron, this occurrence should've been no different!

Megatron, what are you doing to me?!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

The three Autobots and two humans studied the Groundbridge coordinates their friend and teammate had put into the controls to bridge to her destination. They knew something was very, very wrong with their comrade. They just didn't know what it was that was making her so... out of control.

But when Ratchet finally recognised the coordinates, the medic began to slowly get an idea of what was going on. His optics locked onto the two Esquivels standing at the protective bars above the Groundbridge controls, "These are the coordinates for the sight of our previous battle with Megatron's undead."

"Maybe we should call Optimus," Raf suggested, trying to keep his voice steady for his sister's sake.

Sunburst looked away from Ratchet, quietly eyeing up the Autobot logo tattooed on the floor of the main room. Almost silently, he muttered, "He is family after all."

Aquastrike's audio receptor's lit up at the quiet mutter from her teammate. She looked over at him a few steps behind Ratchet on his right with confusion and curiosity. She never rarely missed anything to do with her teammates, she knew everything about everyone, even including her newer teammates and friends!

What did Sunburst know that she didn't? What did he mean?

"Optimus is busy preventing a Polar Ice Cap from melting," Ratchet replied to Raf, bringing both Sunburst and Aquastrike's attention back to the situation, "We need to handle this on our own." He gripped the Groundbridge lever, pulling it down to reopen the portal.

As the portal swirled to life, Aquastrike and Sunburst turned around and walked to the open portal while Ratchet stood with the humans. Each of them knew that, despite their teammate's short stature, she was more than highly capable of defending herself when need be. So if something was going on inside their friends head that they weren't able to control, their best bet would be Sunburst and Aquastrike since they were two of the currently available strongest members in the base.

As the two got closer, Ratchet noticed that something was happening deep inside the portal. He narrowed his optics as he realised what was happening.

Someone was coming through the Groundbridge.

"Windswept?"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I instantly felt sick to the core upon arriving back to Autobot base. Sunburst and Aquastrike were waiting either side of the 'Bridge like they had been anticipating mine and Megatron's arrival. Ratchet stood by Raf and Carly like he was protecting them from me. They looked at me with pure fear, especially Carly, who seemed to be even more frightened than ever before.

That was something I hoped I would never have to see again after this ordeal. I never wanted my charge to be fearful of me. Ever.

And now look what's happening.

Sunburst grabbed mine and Megatron's shoulders, looking over our frame like he was checking that we were okay.

Well... checking that **I** was okay.

"Swept? Are you alright?" I heard Sunburst ask, locking his optics with ours.

I fought against Megatron. I needed Sunburst to see how trapped I was. How I was unable to control my own actions...

Ughhh, come on!

... Megatron's already taken over every kind of movement. I was not going to allow him to control my own emotions.

Sunburst seemed to react at something that had appeared in my optics, letting me go instantly and taking a few steps away from me.

No! Sunburst please! Come back!

" _ **Settle, my niece,**_ " Megatron's whisper echoed in my mind, " _ **It is time to have some fun.**_ "

"Windswept, what have you been doing?" My body turned to Ratchet at his question.

There was some sort of movement behind me that I couldn't make out. Megatron wasn't fast enough to make any sort of move to react to it. Not when we felt someone grab our wrist tightly and pull it closer to them.

"Primus be damned..." Aquastrike gasped.

Ratchet widened his optics at the sight of the Energon in hand through the corner of my optic. He hasn't seen the shard since the battle between myself, him and Optimus against Megatron, Slipstream and the undead Cybertronians. My helm turned to him, seeing him whisper in disbelief, "Dark Energon?"

It was Ratchet's mistake to even think about getting distracted with the shard.

Megatron suddenly sprung into action, making myself literally spring up and knock Ratchet down with a half-twist kick into his side. The medic fell below the Groundbridge controls with a quiet groan.

"WINDSWEPT!" Sunburst instantly scolded while Aquastrike went to attack me.

I had always warned Aquastrike, as well as Sunburst, Starlight and anyone else I cared, to always try to put up a fight against me in case something was wrong and I was unable to control myself. I could get really out of control at times because revenge used to, and still does, control my actions. Sometimes I never realised my own strength. So with Megatron now controlling my entire movements, and with me being a really strong femme with a small stature, I was quickly becoming a dangerous enemy that needed putting down.

Aquastrike threw a punch at me, but Megatron was quicker to dodge the throw. We ducked away from her view, sneaking behind her. Using both my arms, Megatron held them in defence position and used them to knock Aquastrike forwards. The force sent her into the entry/exit tunnel, collecting Sunburst along the way.

"OH COME ON!" I heard her snarl in disbelief.

Ratchet attempted to climb back up, sitting on one knee. Megatron easily kicked him down before locking his optics with the humans.

No... no, no, no! NO!

"Windswept!" Carly yelled, standing protectively in front of her brother like a good sister does when there was danger.

"What are you doing?!" Rafael asked nervously, peeking his head out from behind his sister.

"Don't hurt them!" I begged to Megatron as we slowly proceeded to stand before them, "PLEASE!"

" _ **Why?**_ " Megatron questioned me simply as he picked up the children with ease, despite them trying to escape our grasp.

"It isn't them you want, okay? They're innocent. It's me you want. You need _me_ to continue your plan, okay? Me! Not them!" I reasoned with a pleading tone.

Megatron seemed to halt our movements, deciding on what to do with the Esquivel siblings. Just because he was in control of me, didn't mean that I was in control of him at all. I couldn't read what he was thinking like he could figure me out.

Somehow I managed to find a little strength – and I emphasise on the little – to take back some control from Megatron. Giving it everything I had, I made myself walk over to the vents and place my little friends there where I knew that they were safe.

Megatron growled as I gave away that slight control I had back to him, " _ **You will pay for that silly mistake**_."

If that was going to be the last time I would ever take any control of myself, then making sure that my charge and her brother were safe from harm was probably going to make me feel okay. It meant that I was saving someone from myself.

Well... not exactly me... But you get the point.

"Windswept, please!" Carly begged once she knew that Raf was alright, "I know you're in there somewhere! Please fight 'Swept!"

"Fight whatever's making you do this!" Raf pleaded with her.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell them that I was trying my very best! I just wish that they could see it through my optics.

Sunburst and Aquastrike were just getting themselves back into the room after my attack on them as Megatron made us walk towards the open Groundbridge. Still swirling with its blues and greens – and this time even purples – the portal whisked us away to his next destination.

A wave of pain hit me, forcing me to nearly collapse. My body even fell to my knees because of the sudden pain, forcing me to breathe heavily to recover from what I presume was Megatron's personal attack on me.

" _ **I will not allow you to pull such a stunt again.**_ " Standing back onto both feet, I felt my body start walking as I started to take in the new surroundings...

The Warship...

Oh no...

Suddenly I couldn't see out of my own optics any more. I couldn't see or do anything to stop Megatron from taking full control of my frame. I started growing severely heavy, like I was tired or something. But I wasn't! I swear!

Please Megatron… spare me mercy… please…

Everything... went dark. Everything... faded... aw...ay.

Eve…ry...thing...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Carly and Raf's pleas and cries weren't enough to stop their friend from racing through the Groundbridge, watching it close when Ratchet regained enough strength to get himself back on his feet.

Raf quickly turned to the medic when he groaned in pain, attempting to climb up onto his feet. Aquastrike helped him, making sure that he was steady enough to stay on two feet.

"Ratchet!"

"I'm fine," The medic immediately said, shrugging off Aquastrike's help as he watched Sunburst make his way over to the humans.

"Wha' 'bout 'Swept? Is she gon' be alright?" Aquastrike asked worriedly.

"I fear the time she's spent in Megatron's mind is causing her to think like a Decepticon," Ratchet realised in a sad tone.

"No!" Carly shook her head angrily as she and Raf hopped onto Sunburst's waiting hand, "Windswept is not a 'Con!"

"I second that," Sunburst nodded in agreement, turning to face Ratchet.

Aquastrike also nodded in agreement, looking at Ratchet. There was no way her friend had suddenly gone Decepticon. Sure, she may have come from the Decepticon side, but she was lied into their side – she had no idea just how purely evil they were until it was too late. And she knew her friend wouldn't suddenly jump ship like that.

"Agreed," Ratchet also nodded, "But we need to find out exactly what Windswept intends to do with that shard."

"Accordin' to Prime, 'Swept and yerself, the only one who knew of the damned stuff-"

"Was Megatron," Ratchet interrupted the aqua blue femme, narrowing his optics at the realisation.

"So what does that mean?" Carly asked in a panicked tone, "Windswept has Megatron's memories?"

"It's worse than that, Carly. Megatron is occupying Windswept's mind," Sunburst growled darkly, "There was anger in her eyes, yes. But that wasn't her anger. That was Megatron's."

"How could I have been such a fool?" Ratchet growled to himself, "The cortical psychic patch acted as a two-way conduit. When Windswept returned to her own mind, Megatron followed." Ratchet looked at the Groundbridge controls with interest, "And now Windswept – MEGATRON – has bridged to nearly the same coordinates Optimus used," Reactivating the Groundbridge portal, he looked at the four members of Team Prime, "Aquastrike, come with me. The rest of you, stay here."

"No!" Carly instantly shook her head, "Windswept needs her brother!

"And she needs all of her friends!" Raf also argued.

Sunburst looked at the siblings with a small smile. They would do anything to try to help them. It was then that he realised that Raf and Carly were right. They were her family now.

They, Jack and Miko were all family to the Autobots now.

He looked at Ratchet, "'Swept needs her family."

"Of course she does," Ratchet sighed in defeat.

* * *

Meanwhile, the plan in the Arctic that Starscream had created continued to run smoothly. The orange fiery beam continued to melt the white snow below. And right below that was the waiting fuel that all Cybertronians alike needed to continue living.

It was all going simply well for Starscream.

"Yes! I love when a plan comes together!"

He spoke too soon. The sounds of engines interrupted his party. Looking down from the Warship, he spotted three familiar vehicles. A familiar army green off-roading vehicle was quickly storming into his view while two motorcycles, one blue and one pink and white, were leaping off cliffs on different sides and joining it.

Bulkhead, Arcee and Starlight were coming to trash the Decepticon party.

"The Autobots," Moonlight growled, instantly spotting her sister.

"Please, Lord Starscream, allow one of your second-in-command's the honour," Knock Out insisted before turning to his partner, "Breakdown, total them!"

Breakdown didn't need to do anything to prepare for the upcoming fight. He just needed the urge to fight, which was quickly fulfilled when he realised that his good old enemy Bulkhead was waiting for him. Jumping off one of the wings of the Warship, the blue mech let out a chuckle, eager to stop the Autobots from putting a premature end to the Decepticon party.

He allowed himself to land belly first onto the snow just behind the three Autobot vehicles. This sent them flying from the force of the contact between the Cybertronian and the ground. The trio of Autobots wasted no time transforming and landing on their feet to prepare themselves for battle.

Breakdown stood, clenching his denta together when he caught sight of his favourite enemy just getting himself onto his pedes. Arcee and Starlight stood either side of him, also clenching their fists and getting ready for what was to come.

Suddenly, another figure came into the view of the Autobots. The black and dark pink femme landed on her hands behind Breakdown before flipping onto her feet with a smirk. Already, her optics were eyeing up her younger sister, taunting her with a 'come-at-me' motion with her servo.

Starlight's optics narrowed at her sister, gripping one of her Kunai knives tightly.

The battle was on.

There was one Autobot missing from this battle. And that Autobot was Optimus Prime, who was scaling a glacier that, when he was on top of it, would lead him to the Decepticon Warship still floating high above in the blue sky. He paused for a moment to recollect some of the energy he had lost. But he didn't waste the moment at all, his mind instantly going back to what he had left behind back at Autobot base.

So while he continued his scaling towards the Nemesis, his mind kept a lock on the Autobot currently in power-down back home who he cared about more than anyone else ever knew.

* * *

Unfortunately for Optimus, he was wrong about one fact.

The Decepticon Warship wasn't normally this quiet. But with Starscream and Knock Out overseeing the battle between the Autobots and their teammates Breakdown and Moonlight, there really weren't any other Decepticons around.

Starscream doesn't always keep track of Decepticon activity.

A Groundbridge swirled into view down in one corridor where three Autobots leapt out, one racing ahead with their weapons activated and another following suit behind the medic, with the children on his shoulder, waiting to make sure the coast was clear.

When the Groundbridge swirled shut behind them, Ratchet took a look at his surroundings and gasped, "The Decepticon Warship!"

"I'm gettin' a bad feelin' about this," Aquastrike muttered, joining Ratchet with her triple blasters still activated and ready to fire if need be.

"We haven't got time to lose." At Sunburst's words, the three Autobots took off in a sprint instantly.

They had to save their teammate and friend.

They reached a corner that turned into another corridor down the right of them, slowing their speed down just in case. Aquastrike, still with blasters activated, looked down the corridor before signalling Ratchet and Sunburst, as well as Carly and Raf to join her.

Unconscious Vehicons were scattered down the corridor, clearly showing the Autobots and humans that someone had already come through to get them out of the way. Carly and Raf looked at each other in worry of their friend.

"Windswept did this?" The brown-haired teenage female asked, looking at Sunburst with worry.

"I fear Megatron's mind is dominant," Ratchet answered, "And clearly he came here for one purpose."

"To use that Dark Energon shard resurrect his own body," Sunburst explained.

"'Swept won't let him do that!" Carly argued, looking around at the three Autobots while Ratchet placed her and Raf on the ground, "She's too strong to let him… right?"

Aquastrike looked at the small female, thinning her lips, "If t'ere's one thin' that 'Swept don' like, it's lettin' someone else 'ell 'er wha' ta do. If we can get 'er to remember that…" The aqua blue femme trailed off.

They couldn't stand around much longer. Each of the Autobots took one look at each other before Aquastrike, still with her weapons in hand, started taking steps down the corridor full of unconscious drones. Ratchet and Sunburst slowly trailed after her, the former keeping a hand out towards the humans to make sure that they knew that whatever danger was ahead of them could force them to turn around and run away.

But when Aquastrike gasped at the sight before her, all of that worry about the humans disappeared. Ratchet and Sunburst joined the aqua blue femme, looking around the corner and seeing what had warranted her to gasp.

The Autobot was hooking herself up to a cord that connected to the back of the medical berth that belonged to the one controlling her. The three Autobots instantly knew what that cord was.

The Cortical Psychic Patch.

Ratchet took off running towards the femme. There was no more time to lose. He had to stop Megatron regardless of what was going on.

"RATCHET! DON'T HURT HER!" Carly screamed at the medic, nearly running out behind him if it weren't for Sunburst getting his foot in her way to protect her.

"That's not Windswept any more.…"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

Sudden movement re-awoke me from what I presumed was an induced stasis on Megatron's part. He must have tried to take me well out of the picture while he continued on his plans. I got a slight glimpse of the sight before me, which was well familiar to me considering I was here, standing in this almost exact spot nearly three or four full days ago.

This ordeal with Megatron better be over with soon. I'm starting to lose count of the days!

Before I could see how I was exactly connected up to Megatron's body, my body swung around in time to see Ratchet throw a punch at me. Megatron dodged the first one, before ducking under the next one. Leaping up, the Decepticon kicked Ratchet into the wall and onto the other side of the room, landing heavily and nearly lifelessly.

RATCHET!

Aquastrike came charging next, her blaster shots aiming right for me. Megatron managed to dodge each of them, using my small stature to his advantage. As soon as we were in front of the former Wrecker, my fists connected with her front to distract her. She attempted to throw a punch, but Megatron was too quick, grabbing her wrist with both of my small hands and flinging her over my shoulder towards the medical berth.

AQUASTRIKE!

Sunburst next came into my view, his arms at the sides of his helm like he was surrendering to me, "I don't want to hurt you, 'Swept. Don't make me."

Megatron refused to take his pleads into account, activating my blasters and shooting rapidly at him. Sunburst chose not to fight me at first, allowing Megatron to continue walking up to him with both my blasters still firing at him.

Then he struck. Sunburst grabbed my arms and tempted to restrain me to try and get through to me once more, "Where are you, 'Swept?"

My pedes climbed over Sunburst's chassis, flipping myself out of his grip. Leaping up, Megatron hit Sunburst in the chest using both my pedes, also flinging him well away from me and down the corridor, I presume, he, Ratchet and Aquastrike came from.

SUNBURST!

…What have I done? I've let Megatron gain too much control of me! And now he's hurting all my friends!

Pulling out the Dark Energon shard from what was usually MY subspace, he turned my frame towards his, " _ **I thought I put you down and out of mind.**_ " He must've finally recognised that I had been reawoken.

"'Swept!" I looked around to find my charge Carly, her eyes wide with fright and…

Hopefulness?

Wait?! Was my screams so powerful enough that I managed to break through Megatron's stranglehold on me?!

"You have to fight it!" Raf begged, joining his sister, "Remember who you are!"

"Fight for control, 'Swept! You have to take back what's yours! Megatron can't control you!"

She's right. I can't let Megatron take over what's mine.

Carly must have reacted positively when she saw my optics. It was like they softened at her pep talk for me. But then she went neutral as my optics had hardened upon seeing her. I could feel my optics changing emotions. It was because of how hard I was fighting against Megatron.

I can do this! I can fight him!

"C-Carly…?" I weakly whispered through the shifts of power.

"That's it 'Swept!" Carly cheered excitedly, taking a few more steps forward, "It's me!"

While the balance of power shifted between Megatron and me, I could feel the former's rage start to build as he began to realise that I was slowly taking back some control over myself, " _ **Unbelievable** **!**_ "

I suppose Megatron couldn't believe just how capable a small human such as Carly could be. Especially when her loved ones were in danger. That's what I thought was the most important about the humans like Jack, Miko, Carly and Raf – they had spirit. They were able to guide us, help us when we needed them too and more importantly, be there for us when we needed them.

And right now, I needed Carly more than ever help me push through the stranglehold that Megatron refused to let go of.

"Take back what's yours!"

I pushed against Megatron. Inside, I could feel myself slowly stepping up to face Megatron. I was not going to let him get to me any more. So what if we were related? So what if he kept this all a secret from me? So what that he had my mind erased to keep me on his side?!

There is one thing that I do not allow. And that is when someone **tries** to take control of me.

NOBODY TAKES CONTROL OF ME!

I pushed back as hard as I have during this entire ordeal, regaining the most control I've had. But Megatron wasn't ready to exactly give up yet, already beginning to push back slightly.

" _ **NO YOU DON'T!**_ "

I groaned in pain as Megatron pushed back, clutching the front of my face tightly to attempt to remove the helm-ache regrowing in my helm. It was becoming too much. I took a few lazy steps forwards, falling onto my knees in front of two of my human friends. The Dark Energon shard was still tightly in my grasp despite my arms falling onto the floor of the Warship to brace myself.

Carly gasped, placing her small hands onto my arm… but that was her mistake.

Megatron regained control once more, easily brushing Carly and Raf away from me.

NO! LEAVE THEM ALONE!

Megatron made us stand to full height once more, turning around just in time to see Sunburst clutching the life-support cord connected to Megatron. I instantly knew what he was planning to do – he was trying to get rid of Megatron's only option to currently live while we were connected to his body. He was going to do whatever it could to get rid of the Decepticon Warlord despite him still being locked deeply in control of me.

And if that was the only option we all had at this point, then I would happily back Sunburst on the play one-hundred per cent no matter what happened to me.

"Farewell Megatron," Sunburst whispered as he tugged on the cable with both servos, pulling out with ease.

Megatron reacted violently, making us race towards Sunburst where we easily got into a scrap with him. He refused to fight, allowing Megatron to throw him over my shoulder once more and towards Carly and Raf, who were being taken care of by Ratchet. Soon, Megatron turned back to the medical berth.

"Windswept!" My body paused at the teenage girl's yell behind me.

I tried to answer her cries, but Megatron wouldn't allow it. Instead, we slowly looked over my shoulder with the Dark Energon shard purring closer to my face, "Windswept cannot hear you any more."

YES.

I.

CAN!

"As much as I want you to leave my best friend's body, I won't let you go back to your own!" With a battle cry, Carly raced towards me and leapt up, grabbing the cord connecting the back of my helm to the medical berth Megatron's body rested on. She attempted with all her might to try and break the connection.

Megatron wouldn't allow her to do such a thing, making a sharp turn to make sure that Carly lost grip of the cord and flinging her away from us.

When this ordeal is over, I will not let Megatron get away with that. He messes with my best friend, he messes with me.

Megatron made us leap onto his frame on the medical berth, and with the Dark Energon shard in hand, he made me stab the Energon deep within the gaping hole in his chassis. His body began shaking as the shard began to work on healing the hole while I leapt off his body and watched as his optics snapped open.

Those red Decepticon optics.

Megatron had finally returned.

My servos gripped my legs tightly as I started to regain some of my strength. Sunburst came racing up behind me and began checking to make sure that I was all right. I felt okay physically… but mentally I think is an entirely different story.

Everyone began stepping backwards around me, pulling me back with them. I dreaded what was happening in front of me and, as much as I didn't want to look, my helm lifted up.

Decepticon drones came filing into the room from out of nowhere, the five of them pausing to watch the Warlord of the Decepticons stand and bark his announcement.

"Decepticons! Your rightful lord and master has returned!" He took a few steps towards us, pausing to stand beside me as our optics locked, "Finish these pests-" He began walking towards the corridor that the Decepticon drones had come from, "I have my own extermination to perform." He disappeared down that corridor while the drones activated their weapons.

Ratchet ducked away from the blaster shots to grab Raf and disappear out of target sight while Aquastrike and Sunburst fired back at the drones. I quickly found Carly shielding herself from the blaster fire, trying to run away from it all. Sliding under a few shots to dodge them, I scooped Carly up before joining Ratchet and Raf.

"I'm so sorry Carly," I whispered to her, holding her close to me to make sure that she was safe.

I was supposed to be her guardian… and I failed her.

"Worry 'bout t'at later!" Aquastrike yelled, joining us with Sunburst behind her, "We gotta ge' outta 'ere!"

Aquastrike was right. It was time to get out of this hell!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

After minutes and minutes of scaling the snow-white cliff, Optimus eventually reached the top, seeing the Decepticon Warship continuing to shoot the orange-flamed drill into the snow where the Energon was. He was quick to spot a thin glacier that was already beginning to become affected by the heat, racing towards it before transforming into his truck semi and using the glacier as a ramp to propel himself over to the warship.

The aim was perfect, reaching heights that were nearly higher than the warship itself. He transformed back into his Cybertronian form, reaching his hand out toward one of the wings of the ship. He was successful in grabbing it, quickly beginning to climb onto it and further onto the ship.

The battle on the ground meanwhile, was just beginning. Arcee began charging, her arm blades unfolded as she raced towards Breakdown for a quick attack. But the blue mech wasn't interested in her attempts, racing towards her with a battle groan.

Arcee leaped up, flipping a few times to prepare herself for the attack. But Breakdown was too quick, grabbing the blue femme by the arms and throwing her into Starlight, who was preparing to battle her sister. The two femmes were knocked away by the force of the throw, but both were quick to land on their feet with their cat-like reflexes, ready to go again for another attack.

Moonlight stood in their way, two knives spinning in her hands with a smirk. Arcee and Starlight gave each other a nod before beginning their charge towards the black and pink Decepticon.

Breakdown focused his attentions on his old enemy, chuckling as he activated his hammer, "I'm gonna put you on ice!" He raised his weapon, ready to strike.

But Bulkhead was prepared, his wrecking ball also raised in the air as he charged towards his enemy. With a battle cry, he smashed his weapon against Breakdowns, the force large enough to split the ice underneath in half...

* * *

While Starscream and Knock Out watched approvingly, the red medic soon found something wrong with the battle that was occurring below. There was... something missing.

"Don't the bots seem…understaffed?"

The sounds of a truck engine answered his question, forcing the two Decepticons to turn around to find the truck form of Optimus Prime speeding towards them.

Starscream threw up his hands, growling in frustration, "What good is a second-in-command who fails to watch the rear?" Pushing Knock Out out of his way, the silver Decepticon leapt onto the controls of the laser beam, kicking the Decepticon that was controlling it off, "Get out of my way!"

Typing commands into the control panel of the beam, Starscream managed to turn around the laser and point it in his enemy's direction. But despite the burn and the force of the beam, Optimus would not be pushed back so easily, groaning with all his might to continue towards the Decepticon.

With a battle cry, he transformed and jumped away from the beam, activating his blade from his arm.

Starscream instantly knew what the Autobot was trying to do, "NOOOO!"

The destruction of the laser beam caused an explosion of whites and oranges and grey smoke, sending shock waves through the arctic and pretty much ending the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons below. They were knocked off their feet instantly as deep cracks began forming in the ice and snow.

While Bulkhead and Starlight started to stand and regain their strength, Arcee was the first onto her feet, instantly worried when she spotted something in the snow.

"Optimus!"

Lying amongst the snow where patches of grey smoke were rising from parts of his frame was the Autobot Leader, severely weakened from the explosion he caused. But he couldn't stay there for long as a silver jet swooped into everyone's view, flying threateningly over Optimus. Gasping to regain his strength, he opened his blue optics and found Starscream preparing to dive straight towards him.

"Megatron's greatest mistake was ever allowing you to live, Prime!" Starscream proclaimed, preparing to fire a missile towards the Autobot leader.

This would be it! This would be the day he would finally be able to defeat the leader of the Autobots! This would put all the doubters to shame! It would prove himself to the others of the Decepticon Warship that he didn't need his twin sister beside him to lead the Decepticons to victory!

And he would've been able to do it had a certain silver and purple jet crashed into him, changing his course to the Decepticon Warship.

Optimus instantly recognised who that certain jet was, his tone showing a hint of surprise as he spoke, "Megatron."

"He's back," Arcee realised as Bulkhead and Starlight joined her in watching the two Decepticons fly back onto the smoking Decepticon warship.

* * *

Starscream was quick to be transformed back into his Cybertronian form, being flung on to one of the wings of the Decepticon warship. Coughing and spluttering, he watched as the jet ranged upon him, transforming and revealing himself to be none other than Megatron.

"Lord Megatron!" Starscream gasped, trying to show true happiness and surprise that his master had finally been saved, "You are…you're healed! Praise the AllSpark! It is a miracle!"

"Oh, it will be a miracle alright, Starscream... if you survive what I have planned for you."

Starscream was a coward, yes, but he wasn't stupid. He knew exactly why Megatron was coming after him. He knew that the silver and purple Decepticon knew that he tried to offline him when he was floating around in space. Heck! With Soundwave's help, he probably knows everything that Starscream had done during his brief time in Decepticon leadership!

So Starscream did what he normally did best and attempted to flee from the rage of Megatron, transforming and trying to take off. But the true leader of the Decepticons knew better than to let him simply get away from him, grabbing his tail-wings and throwing him into another wing of the Warship a distance away.

Starscream spluttered as he transformed out of his jet form, watching as Megatron appeared onto the wing to join him.

"But the Autobots! Optimus! Right there! Waiting for you!" Starscream attempted to distract Megatron as he approached him.

"My greatest mistake? I've made a few! But there is one I do not intend to make again!" Grabbing the traitorous Decepticon's face, Megatron began dragging him towards the doors to the Warship while listening to Starscream's screams.

"No! Master! NOOOOOOO!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

Starscream screamed so loudly from the Decepticon Warship high above us, it had the group of us thinking that we wouldn't see him for a while!

After escaping the warship, Sunburst, Aquastrike, Ratchet, Carly and Raf, the latter's on Ratchet's shoulder, we wanted to stay away from any Decepticon trouble just in case they would come after us again. But we didn't expect to find ourselves in the Arctic, a place that was probably quite familiar to Optimus and Arcee already.

Even though the Arctic felt unusually warmish, it was still quite cold, my denta chattering quickly. Sunburst was quick to be by my side, making sure that I wasn't going to become the first out of all of us to be affected by the cold conditions.

I didn't trust Sunburst to be anywhere near me too be honest. I was too scared that I was going to hurt him again just like I did multiple times back at base and on the Warship. But I was too scared to push him away. I didn't want him thinking that I wasn't myself again.

I shuddered. I never, ever, EVER wanted to have someone else totally in control of me EVER again.

" _ **Ratchet, we need a bridge,**_ " Optimus' voice came over the comlink.

"You are not the only ones," Ratchet replied as came around the corner of a glacier.

Standing at a decent distance ahead of us, Optimus, Arcee, Starlight and Bulkhead turning around to face us, their faces a mixture of confusion and relief. Raf and Carly waved to them from Ratchet and mine's shoulders, big grins going from ear to ear for each of them.

At least Raf got to see snow!

* * *

We had to ask a confused Bumblebee, who had returned to base with Jack and Miko, to 'bridge us back to Autobot Outpost Omega One. They had no idea of what had occurred to my group that were still at Autobot base the last time he was there.

So while Sunburst and Aquastrike explained their side of the story, I waited in the medical chamber as Ratchet and Starlight performed checks to make sure that I was okay. Starlight really wanted to make sure that I was all fit and healthy in my mind before she wanted to confirm that I was free to go. I could sort of understand why she was a bit weary – Starlight was never to keen on incident's similar to this happening. She was much too innocent despite all that we've been through.

I saw Starlight and Ratchet give a nod to each other and myself before I felt the arms around me pull away, allowing me to be free once more. As the medical chamber doors opened, Ratchet announced the diagnosis.

"Everything's back to normal."

I rolled my optics at the comment, and a quite a few of the team chuckled in disbelief at the words.

Me? Normal?

Ratchet was quick to correct his comment, a small smile spreading onto his face, "Well…normal for Windswept."

Carly was the first to greet me, racing into the medical chamber to see me. I knelt down before her and grinned at her.

"Carly, I am so sorry for what I put you through today," I apologised with what I hoped was regret showing in my optics. I looked up at all of the team still gathered around the medical chamber, "And for what I put all of you through."

Carly almost instantly shrugged at my apology, "Don't worry about it, 'Swept! You're my best friend! I'd stay by your side no matter what! You know we all would!"

I grinned even more at my human friend, gently sticking my digit out to poke the girl in the shoulder teasingly now knowing that she was okay, "Bet you were scared, huh?"

"Duh, of course I was!"

"I hope you never go through something like that again."

"I hope you don't as well."

I stood up to full height, looking over at Sunburst with an innocent smile as I privately commed him, "Thank you for sticking by my side today. If I had to go through this again, I would want you by my side no matter what. You're my brother, and we have to stick together."

Sunburst chuckled, his arms still folded over his chassis, choosing not to speak over the private comm, "Hey, what else are siblings for?"

I shook my head in amusement at Sunburst before I noticed Miko below us reach Carly and me. She looked between Sunburst and I for a few moments before looking at Sunburst, "What'd she say?"

The yellow and white-striped mech's face turned soft, looking down at Miko, "She said thanks. In her normal 'Swept fashion, of course."

"Lemme guess!" Aquastrike raised her arm up like a student excitedly. When Sunburst called upon her, she continued, "She wen' on 'nd on 'bout how t'ankful she was that you were by 'er side 'nd so on 'nd so forth?"

"Bingo!"

My jaw dropped in fake disbelief as most of the Autobots and humans chuckled and nodded in agreement. I crossed my arms with a fake pout, "Am I becoming that predictable?"

"Yes."

* * *

Despite Ratchet and Starlight's warnings that I should get as much rest as I could before they believed I was fully fit to return to the battlefield, recharge was not going to come easy tonight.

Not when the real truths about my past were in my mind.

I wasn't really able to deal with those truths because of Megatron taking full control of me during the day. But now that I was in my berth attempting to rest, my mind was unable to be pulled away from what I now knew.

Megatron murdered my parents.

He also had mine and Whirlwind's memories erased.

He also fed us lies to keep us within his ranks.

Until Slipstream hinted that what we thought was the truth were in fact lies.

It's his fault that me and Whirlwind aren't together.

...I couldn't get another detail out of my mind.

I was related to BOTH Optimus Prime and Megatron.

BOTH!

This was insane! This war wasn't supposed to be about family drama or anything like it! It was supposed to be about our homeworld and everything related to it! Why is this happening?! WHY?!

It made more sense to me about why Optimus and Megatron referred to each other as brothers now and then. Sure they had been comrades already during Optimus' pre-prime state apparently, but still. Somehow everything just all made sense.

So everything was starting to fall into place. But I still had a few questions.

Did Optimus know that we were related?

Have I known Sunburst longer than I was led to believe after all?

Did Sunburst know that Optimus, Megatron and I were all related?!

I'll get my answers eventually, I know that. But when was an entirely different story.

* * *

Yay, part 2 of this saga been and gone! There will be a follow up original chapter to this to deal with the repercussions. I'm looking forward to tackling this development - what Windswept has learned in these last two chapters will have effects on her and some of the team for the rest of this story and the future ones.

The original chapter, which I guess you could call a part 3 to this saga will come out soon hopefully. Maybe a follow, favourite or review might inspire a quicker update.

Thank you for reading.


	16. Chpt 16: Setting Records Straight (O)

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

Surprise! Part 3 of this Sick Mind/Out of His Head saga is here! The last part too, I shall add! It was fun writing these three chapters to dig down and reveal Windswept's true past. I look forward to writing the prequel to this when I'm finally able too as well to share more light on my own character and her friend's histories too.

Thank you to Starlit Storyteller for following and favouriting this story. And two extra thank yous to Mia prime and Angelwings2002 for leaving reviews as well. It makes me feel very blessed when people take time out of their day to look out for this story. These recent three chapters in the last few days are dedicated to everyone who sticks with this story. Thank you!

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept and the other OC's belong to me.

* * *

I didn't get as much rest as I wanted over the last week. My mind was plagued by the nightmares of the ordeal I had just been through… But it was more than just having a Warlord inside my mind, controlling me and hurting the people that I care about. While I will never get rid of Megatron's piercing red optics or his haunting chuckles of evil laughter, the thought that I had allowed Megatron to lie to me and my sister for so long during our young lives was much more terrifying.

I can't believe I let him get away with so much.

I think I only got a maximum of two Earth hours of recharge per night, which, according to Carly, simply wasn't good enough. Optimus would try to get us to rest throughout most of the night if we could. But sometimes patrol got in our way, so he deemed that at least four or five Earth hours of recharge were good enough. Though I suppose it depends on when we went to our berthrooms to rest.

I looked at the only small window in my room. Each room had at least one small window to show us when it was time to start preparing for the new day. Of course, we had our clocks stashed away somewhere for us to check the time.

But it was nicer to wake up to a lovely sunrise every morning.

Some of us, more so Sunburst, Starlight and myself, enjoyed the Earth sunrise in the mornings, going so far to even sit outside in silence together and just watch as the bright yellow orb to greet us for the day. The silence was peaceful, and I guess familiar. We normally stood in silence a lot whenever a comrade of ours was killed in battle, paying our respects to him or her with a silent goodbye and a thank you for the memories and their part in helping our cause.

We did that quite a bit on Cybertron.

Starlight stood to full height, stretching her arms with a yawn, "Same time tomorrow?"

Sunburst nodded beside me, looking at Starlight and beginning a discussion with her.

I guess my thoughts about the sunrise and my fallen comrades took over my mind more than I had realised. I can't remember coming out here so quickly.

Though, too much has been on my mind.

I didn't pay attention to the conversation Starlight and Sunburst were having when my attentions turned to my brother-in-law. Did he know about all of this? Did I actually know him longer than I had first thought? And what about Whirlwind? Had they known each other longer too?!

I wish I didn't have so many questions and not enough answers.

There was a bump on my shoulder, bringing me out of the thoughts that I had been plagued with since Megatron dropped the entire truth bomb on me. I looked at Sunburst and Starlight, both who were looking at me with concern. I shook my head and looked up at the standing pink and white femme with a confused look, "Did you say something?"

"I asked if we were gonna watch the sunset tonight?" Starlight replied with a questioning tone, "Sunburst said that he couldn't since he has patrol tonight."

I didn't even realise we were thinking about the end of the day already. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that it was already morning.

"Uhh, mmmm," I stuttered, "Maybe. We'll see."

Starlight and Sunburst exchanged a nervous look before the former just sighed, "All right well, I've got a scouting mission to do with Bumblebee. I guess I'll se-"

"Wait up a minute," Sunburst interrupted the femme before she could take any steps away from us. He looked at her with a teasing look, "How many scouting missions have you two had together over the last few weeks?"

Hang on a second.

Am I missing out on a potential growing romance between two of the youngest Autobots in this base?

It wouldn't be a surprise to be honest. They've been getting along since day one when Starlight first arrived. And they've been getting pretty close since then. Especially since the Scraplet incident a while back.

They couldn't keep their servos off each other!

But… that was more like a 'saving your life' thing than a romantic thing.

"Relax, Sunburst," Starlight cooed gently with a sarcastic roll of her optics, "It isn't what you think it is."

"Then what is it?" I asked innocently, knowing very well that Starlight is picking up on the fact that I'm following Sunburst's lead.

"Awh, not you too 'Swept!" The pink and white femme groaned, throwing her arms about, "Look, me and Bumblebee are just really good partners and teammates. And come on, everybody seems to have a close friend. Aquastrike and Bulkhead, you two… why can't I have a close friend and not be judged by it?"

Sunburst and I are siblings now. And I've been thinking that Aquastrike and Bulkhead have been getting really close lately too. Though I'm not really sure if they're close because they've been bonding over their shared time in the Wreckers before the aqua blue femme left, or maybe they have just been growing back together again.

Starlight and Bumblebee don't know each other. Star only knows him by reputation, like everyone, which was him being well known for being the one who stood up against Megatron and survived.

There's only a small list of Cybertronians who have been able to fight Megatron and live.

I looked up at Starlight with a shrug, "I'm just saying that you guys have been getting pretty close, that's all. We've all got people that we've been getting close to recently. It just seems that you two have been making the most progress."

"'Swept, I do not intend on even thinking about some sort of relationship with anyone, especially 'Bee. This is war, not some kind of love island."

At least Starlight's mind was indeed still on the main issue at hand.

"Did you hear that, 'Swept?" Sunburst teasingly asked, bumping his elbow into my arm multiple times while his optics remained on the pink and white femme, "I didn't realise you had a nickname for him already."

Starlight threw her arms up with a huff and began to walk away from us to the elevator that would take her down to the inside of the base below.

Okay, maybe we should have left Starlight alone. But I suppose in my defence, I haven't been able to annoy anyone about anything in the last couple of days. It only felt right that it was time I started getting back to myself and back into a normal rhythm that I started to produce before the trauma with Megatron deciding to take refuge in my mind for a little while.

Hmm, maybe I should change things up a little bit. Who knows what that Warlord exactly found out while he was in that helm of mine. If he did find anything interesting in there, he wasn't exactly going to straight up tell me about it. He would use it for personal use in the future.

Hmmmm, what if h-?

"Hey." I looked at Sunburst when he bumped my shoulder with his elbow, looking at me with concern and, indirectly but thankfully, distracting me from my thoughts, "You all good in that small helm of yours?"

I gasped in fake disbelief, my lips instantly curving into a smile, "My mind is not that tiny!"

"I'm being serious."

"So am I!"

"'Swept, just answer the question."

I sighed in defeat, nudging my brother playfully in the shoulder, "Yes Sunburst, my mind is clear from any bad people."

"Good. I was jus-"

Something began clicking in my audio receptor. I instantly could tell that someone was trying to get into contact with me through the comms. Probably a good idea not to ignore it. The last time I did, Starlight arrived.

Sunburst must have gotten the same call as he answered almost straight away, "Sunburst to Optimus, what do you need? …" The yellow and white-striped mech looked at me with an almost glare-like stare. He began mouthing something to me, 'Answer the comms.'

Nervously, I accepted the incoming call from, who I presumed was Optimus, "Windswept to Optimus, what's up?"

" _ **I would like to speak with both of you later this afternoon,**_ " Optimus told us almost immediately after I responded, " _ **I have checked both of your patrol and scouting mission schedules. Both state that you are available for discussion.**_ "

I was very nervous when Optimus requested our presence later on this afternoon. But what made me that little bit more nervous was that Sunburst beside me was nearly shuddering as if he knew why Optimus wanted to see us.

Did he know what Optimus wanted to discuss with us?

Was it about my past?

Our shared past, I should say?

"Of course Optimus," Sunburst nodded, collecting himself together once more, "Windswept and I will meet you later on before I leave for patrol."

I was starting to glare at my brother-in-law. There was something that he wasn't telling me. And there was also a good chance that whatever him, Optimus and myself were to discuss this afternoon, he knew about it.

"Yes Optimus," I nearly growled through gritted denta, "We'll see you soon."

With the call disconnected, Sunburst wasted no time standing up on his pedes and beginning his stretching routine, "Ahhhh, wish we could have done this every morning." He raised one arm over his helm, "You know, I was thinking about going for a drive just to kick up some dust. Maybe you should come with me. Unless, you know, you do have someone you meant to be going to see right about now."

I narrowed my optics at him. Rule number one when that mech is not telling me something he should is continuous babbling about Primus knows nothing. And 'kick up some dust'? That's not something that he would say - I would know after all, he is my brother. And yes, I should go pick up Carly, but she can wait for just a few extra minutes.

Or maybe sixty of them depending on how long it takes for me to get what I needed to hear.

"Sunburst, do you know what Optimus wants to discuss with us?"

There was hesitancy in the mech's next movements. It was very obvious when he went to lift his arm back down and instead let it float for a few seconds in mid-air before crashing to his side. It seemed to muck up his routine a little as he went to stretch his other arm. I could the strain in his optics.

"Sunburst?" I pressed further. I was not going to let this go now.

"W-What makes you think that 'Swept?"

What makes me think that?! Sunburst, you are a by-the-book mech when it comes to rules and what you can and can't tell us. And yet somehow, when it comes to the people you really worry about, like myself of all people, you seem to break them for us and you do tell us what's going on.

"You're weak when it comes to people you care about," I answered him simply.

There was an evident sigh from Sunburst as he rested both arms on his sides and looked down at me, "Shouldn't you be going to get Carly?"

"I-" I interrupted myself halfway through, looking back at the sun that continued to rise up ahead of me. Yes I needed to go pick Carly up, but that's not what I was talking about. Ughh, that blasted mech's trying to steer me off into a new direction. I went to look back up at him, "Ha ha, Sunburst, I see what yo-"

Dammit Sunburst!

He had slipped away from me before I could even stop him.

And knowing him, he may just turn off our personal comm to stop any calls from going to him.

Sunburst is too smart sometimes. He knows me far too well.

Guess I should go pick up Carly while my mind continues to clutter about the discussion this afternoon.

Blasted Sunburst…

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Megatron stood in front of the control panel, looking at the monitors to see if he could spot anything worthy of noting down to check. His hands were folded behind his back like his normal posture would, his back straight to keep his stature to full height while his infamous red optics continue to dart around the screens ahead of him.

He was now back into his role as the true leader of the Decepticons. And he had wasted no time in making his first movements when he had regained his position – try to understand exactly why Starscream had decided to pluck out the Energon he needed to live. His second movement?

Proceed to punish him for the costly error that Starscream had made.

He certainly wasn't light with his punishment, however. He wasn't surprised that Starscream was yet to awaken.

Maybe that'll teach the mech to never mess with him again.

However, as soon as Megatron had been filled in on what had occurred while he was in his coma, he quickly noticed a few things. Three of them were the new arrivals of Moonlight, Knock Out and Breakdown. Two of those names he had met briefly multiple times during the war on Cybertron. And Moonlight… His apparent second-in-command...

The silver and purple Warlord let out a sigh.

The rumours were false. Almost every single Decepticon, and Autobot too probably were led to believe that there was a femme that the Decepticon Leader had 'by his side' during the war.

And 'by his side', most of those who had heard those rumours would've thought they meant that the femme was either 'underneath him' or 'on top of him'.

The mech knew exactly who had started those rumours too.

He wasn't stupid.

"Lord Megatron?" Megatron growled when he heard the doors slide open to reveal the exact femme he was thinking about.

As the pink and black Decepticon began walking up to him from behind, she quickly noticed her leader's tense posture. Moonlight was immediately worried about her leader. After all, he wasted no time reminding everyone who exactly was the leader of the Decepticons. The true leader of their cause.

Maybe it was too soon for him to fall back to his original position.

…Or maybe he needed someone to help him feel less tense...

"You seem to be quite stressed. Are you having a hard time fitting back into the role as Lord of the Decepticons?"

The silver and purple mech refused to acknowledge her presence, continuing to face his back towards her, "It seems that there have been multiple changes while I've been… resting."

Moonlight nodded quickly in understanding. Of course! There had been so many things happening while Megatron was recovering! Such as her arrival, Knock Out and Breakdown turning up, Rebecca having turned a new age and starting her training into becoming the world's most powerful human, her own arrival, Slipstream's sudden disappearance…

Did Moonlight say she had arrived?

"I entirely understand what you mean, Lord Megatron. It is a lot to take in during a small amount of time. Perhaps I could fill you in on what has been happening?"

"There is no need to 'fill me in', Moonlight," Megatron insisted, turning around to finally face the femme properly for the first time since Cybertron. He was baring his denta at her as he dropped the tone of his voice, "I know **exactly** what has happened."

Moonlight gulped.

Did that mean what she thought he meant?

Her rich red optics stayed glued on Megatron's own red pair, refusing to let down her guard about anything, "What are you referring to exactly, Lord Megatron?"

"I know Starscream tried to rid of me by plucking out my only life force from my body. I know that you and Knock Out attempted to gain power by sucking up to Starscream. And I also know that you talked Starscream into attempting to exile my true second-in-command from the Decepticons!"

Moonlight took a few steps back in fright when the Warlord raised his voice at her.

How did he know?!

Flashes from the final few days with Starscream still in power came into her mind, reminding her of when she went up to Starscream and demanded that he should consider getting rid of his twin sister. After all, she was the one that nearly gave Megatron his life back when she still had the Dark Energon shard.

" _But Starscream! We can't have her running around here with knowledge of that Dark Energon! She'll tell the entire warship!_ " Moonlight remembered attempting to reason with her former leader.

" _Hmmm, ridding her with such knowledge would make these fools believe in me more without comparing me to her._ " Starscream, she recalled, was quite hesitant in the decision, however, " _But regardless, she is still, unfortunately, my sibling. I could never exile her away from the winning team she has been with from the very start._ "

" _Unfortunately Starscream, changes need to be made. Eventually, bonds break. The bond between my sister and I was broken when she was born. And that may seem different in this situation, I believe it is time for you to step away from your sister's shadow. And how better to do so than to get rid of her. Once and for all…_ "

Moonlight didn't regret that she had compared her and her sister's relationship to Starscream's and Slipstream's. She knew far too well that their broken bond would come in handy one day. And probably many more days to come.

The Decepticon brought herself back to reality, looking up at the seething Warlord still baring his denta at her. She took another step backward, attempting to remove herself from the anger she could feel radiating off her leader's body, "I-I have no idea what you are talking about, Megatron. I respect Slipstream greatly-"

"Respect? You were threatening her position the second you joined the Decepticon cause!" Megatron spat out.

Moonlight inwardly shrugged. There was no way she would've pulled off that big, fat lie.

"Slipstream has been my faithful second-in-command the second she joined the cause. She and Soundwave stood by and helped my army grow," Megatron explained, "You only joined my cause for the revenge you craved on your sister!"

"Megatron, I...The Autobots would have never wanted me to join them if they knew the truth!" The femme argued.

"The truth? The truth?! I know exactly the truth you are referring too, Moonlight."

The Decepticon gasped and widened her optics, "You remember the fallout of th-"

Moonlight was cut off when she heard the sounds of the doors sliding open behind her, letting her and the Decepticon Warlord know that someone was entering the room. The Decepticon watched as her leader looked up at the doorway with a pleased look.

"Slipstream, it's about time that you have returned."

"My apologies, Lord Megatron." Moonlight turned to find the blue and purple Decepticon standing back up to full height after bowing at her Lord. Her optics locked with Moonlight, narrowing dangerously, "It had come to my attention that perhaps I needed to take a small sabbatical to clear my thoughts and figure out where to go next for the Decepticons." A small, evil smile appeared on her face as she began walking further into the room, the doors sliding shut behind her, "I was so very glad to hear that you are now back to full health once more. Aren't we, Moonlight?"

The Decepticon femme's jaw dropped slightly, attempting to figure out what to say next. But she struggled to pick her jaw up to form even the smallest of words, "Uhhh, hmmm." She turned around to face Megatron only to find him edging his form closer to her, having bent down to face the femme.

"We are done here, Moonlight."

Said Decepticon straightened her form and stormed away from the two Cybertronians.

Slipstream watched her disappear from the room with a smirk. Everything was going back to normal. Her position was no longer threatened. Not with Megatron back in charge.

"Slipstream, how was your trip away?" Megatron asked, his voice still with an angry tone.

The blue and purple Cybertronian released a sigh, "Megatron, unfortunately, I do not wish to speak to you about my so-called 'sabbatical'. Rather, I have more **important** matters to tend to. It involves my currently recovering brother, Starscream."

Megatron bared his denta knowingly, "Ahhh, yes. I believe it is best that you should visit him to see how he is _resting_."

Slipstream nodded and turned around to leave the room again. Yes, her matters with the injured Starscream were important. So important that she hoped that those matters wouldn't leave her mind for quite some time. So she could use them to remind Starscream exactly what happens the next time he messes with her.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

So that was a waste of time.

Here I was sitting just outside the Esquivel garage waiting for my dear charge Carly to come and greet me before we could make our way over to the school for her to begin her day peacefully. You know, everything was fine. Nothing was wrong.

And then Raf popped out from his home to go see Bumblebee.

Without Carly.

It turned out that Carly got picked up by Jack and Arcee this morning. Jack and Carly apparently had an argument last night and so their trying to patch things up by going to KO Drive-In for breakfast before heading off to school.

I'm not pissed off at all by that. No, not really. It was the fact that Carly had tried to contact me to tell me that she wasn't going to be needing a ride this morning to school…

At the same time that Optimus had commed Sunburst and I this morning.

Now that bit pissed me off.

I worry about my charge enough as it is. But it worried me knowing that I missed a call from my charge and there could've possibly been something wrong with Carly that I needed to get to! Come on, 'Swept! You're better than this! You've already let her down so much recently! You can't keep doing this!

I was furious with myself, absolutely livid. Carly is my charge! I am her guardian! I can't keep dropping the nine-ball or whatever it is like this!

"WOOOAH!" The scream I suddenly heard behind was followed up by a BANG! noise.

By Primus! What the frag was that?!

I skidded to a stop, making sure that my holoform was still activated, which it was, and flicked my mirror around to see what was going on.

I nearly burst out laughing.

Poor Bulkhead had crashed into a power pole.

I think that's my bad.

I drove up to the dark green, off-roading vehicle parked awkwardly in front of the power pole, having removed himself from the darn thing. There were a few grunts and groans coming from the vehicle.

Scrap, I hope Miko's not in there!

"Bulkhead?" I whispered through the comms, "Are you alright?"

"Phewww, yeah, I think so," Bulkhead answered loudly.

Not speaking through the comms.

"Bulkhead!" I almost scolded, "Use the comms!"

"Why? There's no one here." I flicked my mirrors around the area we were at.

The incident that had just taken place was at a four-way intersection, with no cars or people in sight. The traffic lights that were pointing towards the road that I had just come from were blinking a bright red. The traffic lights that were facing Bulkhead's previous direction were flashing a bright green.

Yyyyeeaahhhhhh, that one's definitely on me.

Though I think I might get away with that one.

There's never anyone around during the daytime in Jasper.

"Sorry Bulk," I apologised sheepishly, "Got a few things on my mind."

"Maybe I can help! Whatcha got on your mind?" Bulkhead asked me as we began driving away from the scene that had just taken place.

I was silent at first. I didn't really want to tell him I was having doubts about my position as being a good enough guardian for Carly. I didn't want him to worry about himself and his charge Miko. I mean, what if my doubts and thoughts and feelings impact the way Bulkhead takes care of Miko? I don't want to do that to him.

"Hmm, fine. Don't tell me," Bulkhead pouted jokingly, "Hey I was gonna go do some off-roading just outside of Jasper if you're interested."

Hmmmm, off-roading eh? I mean, I'm no off-roading vehicle of some kind or anything. But I reckon I could do with some kind of distraction. But I _am_ just a motorcycle, not a big four-wheel drive like my bulky friend driving alongside me was.

But hey, why not? I got nothing better to do.

"Sure!" I would've taken the offer with both servos if I was in my normal Cybertronian form. I kicked my speed up a few gears when Bulkhead and I were driving just out of the small township of Jasper, "Meet you up there, Bulk!"

Bulkhead chuckled loudly, catching up with me quickly, "Well you can go speed away to where you want to go. **I'm** going this way." The green off-roading vehicle turned to a slight left, "At least I know where I'm going."

It might help if I knew where I was going.

I went down a few gears and followed Bulkhead quickly with a chuckle, "Lead the way, big guy."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Slipstream wasn't in much of a rush to visit her recovering brother. He wasn't going to be going anywhere far in the next while. As she casually walked to the Nemesis medical Bay, she began thinking about what she was going to say to the traitorous Decepticon Seeker.

She didn't know what to say if she had to be honest. Her brother, her own brother, exiled her from the Decepticons! Of course, it was the best play for Starscream in order to maintain leadership without having to worry about the threat the Decepticon possessed to him. But it still shocked her that her own twin brother would make such a choice.

Even though Moonlight was behind the idea in the first place.

It didn't matter any more. With Megatron back in power and with Starscream, Knock Out and Moonlight back in the places they've should've originally been in, it allowed herself, Soundwave and Rebecca to reclaim their positions in the Decepticon ranks... Well, she was still going to have to share the second-in-command title with Starscream. But regardless, nobody, not even Starscream, was going to force Slipstream out otherwise.

Next time, she won't budge a single step.

The Seeker arrived at the med-bay after much thought, spotting a couple of familiar faces taking care of her twin resting unconsciously on the medical berth.

Slipstream hummed. Over a week ago, Megatron was still in a coma on that exact berth, showing any sign of life through his brainwave activity.

The doors slid open to let the occupants, apart from the unconscious Starscream, know that someone was about to make their presence known.

"With Starscream now out of the leadership frame, I guess this means you'll be heading out to do some more street racing with the locals?" The small human known as Rebecca Rose asked the other occupant in the room with a bored tone. She was standing on the medical berth beside Starscream's side, overlooking the Decepticons recovery.

"As much as I would love to return to the fun lifestyle of showing the humans how to race, the thought of Megatron doing more damage than Starscream did if he disallowed me to has me convinced otherwise," Knock Out mused in his reply, looking down at his chassis before shuddering at what Slipstream presumed were flashbacks of Starscream's punishment.

She suppressed a shudder. Even she cringed at the thoughts of the punishment Starscream had inflicted on the Cybertronian grounder.

But that's how things were done on the Decepticon side. Screw up, and you'll be made sure of never doing it again.

Slipstream thinned her lips, a thought springing to her mind. Allowing Knock Out to go to what he loves doing would really tick Starscream off if he were to discover it and not be able to do a single thing about it. Now with Megatron back in charge, maybe the Decepticons may get away with one or two extra things that the traitorous former leader wouldn't let slip past him.

"I won't tell if you don't." Knock Out and Rebecca looked up at the second-in-command, both slightly startled by her sudden presence.

The vain red Decepticon took a few steps back in realisation of the Seeker's words, "Uhhh… I-Mmmm…"

"Consider it a present from my celebrations of being put back into my rightful position," Slipstream shrugged as she stood in front of the medical berth.

Knock Out rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Uh-hmm, r-right." He began walking away from his station, preparing himself to leave. But he turned around suddenly behind Slipstream, take a step toward her, "Just so you know Slipstream, had I known my old partner was exiled by our former leader, I wouldn't have been so quick to jump onto his train. Please, allow me t-."

"Spare me your regrets, Knock Out." Slipstream wasn't going to have it today. She wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone coming to grovel at her feet for forgiveness. Her head looking over her shoulder, the corner of her left eye barely catching sight of Knock Out, she sighed, "Go wreak havoc among the humans before I decide that I **do** tell."

Knock Out chose not to argue, almost spinning on his heel immediately to walk out of the medical bay.

Slipstream's audio receptors perked up at the sound of a small snort of disbelief. She looked down at the human, her arms crossed and still looking at the unconscious form of Starscream, "Exiled, huh?"

Rebecca wasn't one to let things go so easily. When something had happened or was going on in the background, the brown and red-haired girl made sure to bring it to the spotlight. Unlike Knock Out, she didn't fear the second-in-command.

But Rebecca didn't fear a lot.

It was why no one really attempted to go anywhere near the superhuman. She was a lot stronger and faster than the Vehicons and she could almost definitely outrun Megatron. Even that thought alone made the others fear her.

The Seeker narrowed her optics at the girl, "You keep your mouth shut, I'll fly you out there."

Just because Rebecca was able to strike fear into her enemies, that didn't mean that the abnormal human couldn't be taken down a peg or two.

The girl's face neutralised, showing no emotion at the comment that her Decepticon friend had made. She wasn't going to allow herself to be affected by the prospect of the idea being hung over her like she could see it dangling in front of her own two eyes.

It had been a long time since she paid her respects to her fallen family.

Rebecca swallowed, darting her head up towards Slipstream, "You better hold up your end of the deal, Slipstream."

Slipstream let out a noise between a laugh and a snort, rolling her optics with a smirk lifting the corner of her mouth, "You know me, Rebecca. I always hold my end of the bargain as long as you hold yours."

The superhuman shrugged and leapt off the medical berth. Silently, she walked away, leaving the short Cybertronian to continue her stare at her lookalike. She threw one look over her shoulder before the medical bay doors slid shut, leaving her to wonder just what her Decepticon partner was planning.

Now alone, Slipstream was finally able to get a good look at the injured Starscream lying unconsciously on the medical berth. He had multiple tubes connecting to his body, helping him continue his recovery from the brutality of Megatron's punishment. Most of his silver body had multiple scratches, a few particularly on his face, close to his closed optics.

The Cybertronian nodded to herself approvingly. Megatron definitely made his message to Starscream quite clear.

"Funny, isn't it? How things change, huh?" Slipstream hummed at the unconscious mech, "Over a week ago, things were different. You were the king of this mess, I, the queen. Queen turned princess turned servant in a matter of moments. And now, you know what it's like." Her optics narrowed at her twin, edging closer to the berth, her black, small servo drifting around the edge of one of the tubes.

She gave it a small tug, slightly pulling her towards her unconscious brother's face, gritting her denta, "The next time you **dare** just try to exile me away from the Decepticons again, I hope like Unicron that I do far more damage to you than what Megatron has." Optics narrowing, she glared hard at Starscream.

A sudden noise outside the med-bay quickly grabbed her attention, grip loosening on the tube and slowly taking a step away while from the berth. She threw her head over her shoulder to see if anyone was at the door.

Slipstream didn't really fear anyone coming and seeing her talking to her brother. They all probably would've thought she was hoping that Starscream would get better soon.

If only they knew.

No more noise was made, allowing Slipstream to look back at her brother, her claw-like hands still wrapped around one of the tubes connected to Starscream. The talons caught her eye midway through her head turning back to the Decepticon, hand slipping away from the tube, overlooking her sharp clawed-hands. Just like her brothers.

Slipstream had never realised just how sharp her hands were before.

"You know, Starscream. I could do just what you did to that Autobot." She raised her clawed digits towards the unconscious Decepticon threateningly, seriously considering to bring harm to him.

Slipstream couldn't believe that she was standing before Starscream, considering bringing her own form of punishment on him. Was she really about to harm him? Was she really going to be like him?

Be as traitorous as him?

Slipstream sighed, placing both arms at her sides, "But I won't." She leapt away from the medical berth.

She was threatening Starscream. He had no idea that Slipstream was threatening harm upon him…

And worst of all…

"Great, now I'm beginning to sound like you," Slipstream muttered to herself as she shook her head, "Talking to a motionless Decepticon and everything." She continued to shake her head as she walked away.

In the small space that looked like a mirror on the medical bay doors, the Seeker peaked her eyes through it in case there was anyone just outside the room who had heard her threats to the unconscious Decepticon behind her.

The doors slid open, allowing her to walk through the doorway and out of the medical bay without a second glance at the unconscious Decepticon behind her. No one seemed to be around, which was a good sign for her.

But it didn't matter. If anyone knew Slipstream well enough, they would know that those threats would apply to anyone who was listening.

And they would know that Slipstream follows through on her end of the deals.

Always.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

I have a funny feeling that I probably will never be going off-roading of any kind again while I'm on this planet…

Bulkhead drove us out to the site where he first took Miko off-roading the day after Team Prime and the humans met. He told me about how she had had a blast that day, after making sure that she was safe and that the downhill section wasn't going to hurt her. They continued to come out here every chance they could, be it after or even before school. It's how their bond continued to grow, he had explained.

They sometimes go out to different areas around Jasper to find a secluded area to do more off-roading and downhill activities. Sometimes they even use the Groundbridge to sneak out for some fun!

I guess that's why Ratchet isn't too keen on Bulkhead much. Or Miko for that matter.

We edged closer to the edge of the hill that we were resting at. I took one look at the downhill slope. The terrain was uneven, like some sort of downhill staircase, but each stair was sometimes wider and larger than the previous one. And sometimes, there was the one odd stair that was smaller and much less wide than the previous one or the one after it.

I swallowed hard.

This is what Miko and Bulkhead call fun?

Well, it might be fun for them. But for me? Who transforms into a motorcycle? Who isn't built for this kind of off-road action? It made me feel quite uneasy.

"Nervous, 'Swept?" Bulkhead taunted teasingly, his side mirror closest to me twitching in my direction.

I laughed uneasily, "Hah, me? Nervous? You do realise who you're talking to, right Bulk?"

Yes, you do realise who you're talking about Bulkhead? I'm that person who's fought Slipstream countless times and survived. I've been to death's door and back 'cause of that wretched femme. I've seen war at it's worst and I've lost countless friends and partners.

And I'm the descendant of a Prime. And a niece of both Opti-

Stop it 'Swept! The entire point of being out here was to clear your mind from all this mess. You do not need to be allowing it to play in your mind further…

Right, now with that little rant to myself out of the way…

"Bring it on, Bulk!" I challenged him confidently.

Bulkhead revved his engines and before I knew it, he was speeding down the hill, crowing and cheering with excitement. He looked so happy to be going down the slope like it was the only thing that could keep him happy despite the depressing war that surrounded us.

My front tire gently peaked over the edge of the downhill slope once more, preparing myself for the fun that was about to begin.

… Well, I still wasn't sure if this was going to be fun for me…

"Come on 'Swept! What are you waiting for?!" I heard Bulkhead yell out. He was nearly more than halfway down the slope. I guess he saw me in his rearview mirror and saw that I was yet to take the plunge.

...Yes, plunge. I'm sticking with that.

With a sigh, I rolled my front tire off the ledge, the bump I felt when I landed onto the next ledge making me feel queasy. My back wheel soon followed and once I made sure I was safe to continue, I dropped my front tyre down the next ledge with a bit more speed. I felt my back wheel follow after quickly. The more I picked up speed, the quicker and faster I was racing down the downhill slope.

I guess this wasn't so bad. I found myself a nice comfortable rhythm with each bump I felt every time my front wheel fell of the next ledge. Despite my stomach turning over multiple times every couple of seconds, I didn't feel like being sick at all. The rush of the wind blowing past my motorcycle form was amazing. It was pretty much like how I would feel when I speed down the highway on the Jasper roads.

I was speeding down the hill at alarming speeds, quickly starting to reach Bulkhead, who was now at the bottom of the cliff and waiting for me. I started to apply the brake gently to slow myself down so I wouldn't crash.

But that didn't work. I pressed on the brake as hard as I could but my speed did not slow.

"'Swept!" Bulkhead called out with a warning tone.

There was nothing I could do as I prepared myself for the last few ledges. I needed to find a way to slow down before I reached the last ledge. When I normally slow down after going at racing speeds, I usually perform a skid to slow myself to a complete stop… and to make myself look good while performing one too, of course.

Maybe it might work here.

I slammed the brakes on hard and twisted my motorcycle form to perform the skid. Nearly immediately, I felt the force of going downhill feel a lot more slowly as I fell down to the final ledge.

To be very honest, I have no idea what happened next. But I practically vowed in my mind that I would never downhill like that again.

I transformed into my normal Cybertronian form and shook my head with a groan. Above me, Bulkhead just chuckled, "Wanna go another round?"

My helm shot up to look at the bulky green mech, my features showing nothing but pure horror at the thought of heading back up that fraggin' hill and doing what we just did again.

"No. Way."

Bulkhead laughed loudly once more, "Might be the wisest choice you've made all day."

I was about to protest when I realised that he may have had a point. With my mind elsewhere over recent revelations, I guess taking a break and clearing my mind has made me think properly today.

"Thanks Bulk," I smiled at him as I stood onto my two feet.

The bulky mech seemed a little taken back by my words, "You know I was being sarcastic, right?"

I rolled my optics, "I mean, thanks for the ride." I looked at the ragged hill with narrowed optics, "It helped me clear my mind." And also made me realise that down-hilling like that is probably the worst idea I've agreed too. But I'm not telling Bulkhead that.

"Oh. Well…" He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "Glad I could help."

I nodded at him. Bulkhead didn't exactly understand what I meant by that. But it's probably better off that he doesn't know my dramas. We've all got enough on our plates as it is.

"So I guess I won't be seeing you doing anything like this again anytime soon?"

Now it was my turn to laugh, "Oh absolutely not. But if the mission requires me to do something like that, I'll be sure to comm. you straight away."

Bulkhead chuckled slightly before his voice became serious, "Oh, by the way, Sunburst commed me." My optics looked at Bulkhead sharply. "He said that you were needed back at base as soon as possible. Something about you and him meeting Optimus."

Damn it. I must have been having way too much 'fun' going downhill that I didn't hear him try to make contact with me.

"Cheers again, Bulk. I guess I better go see what's going on." That part I said in a lie.

He and the team will learn soon enough about my true background. I just have to deal with it myself first before they can know.

"Have fun with boss bot and Sunshine," the green mech winked with a grin before transforming and speeding off to get ready for another dose of down-hilling.

No more of that for me today – or ever. I've got a 'little' issue to deal with.

* * *

So here we were. Me, Sunburst and Optimus. The three of us standing in the main room, waiting for someone to speak. But it just wasn't going to happen, was it?

Optimus had cleared Ratchet out from the main room and down the corridor so he could work on his new project in peace. He also arranged for Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Arcee to keep Raf, Miko, Jack and Carly busy for the next little while until he commed them. And as for Aquastrike and Starlight, well, they, surprisingly, seemed quite eager to be heading out for a scouting mission. Maybe Sunburst had let them know that there was an important talk that was going to be had.

I looked up at Optimus' face before looking at my brother-in-law's. The look on my face was dead serious and was practically saying 'don't you both speak at once'.

"Windswept, Sunburst. It has come to my attention as of late that there have been recent – or not so recent – developments." Our red and blue leader looked at Sunburst when he said that last part. "Is there anything you two wish to tell me?"

I was so close to spitting out everything I had learned from Megatron to him. About how him, Optimus and I were all connected. That we were all practically family! And that included Sunburst considering that he's spark-bonded to my twin… oh man, I was so close! I just couldn't get the words out.

"I'm not just your leader. But I'm also your friend."

Yeah, sure. A friend…

"Optimus…" I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose helplessly. I saw Sunburst give me a look out of the corner of my optic. That was when I knew I had to come clean. "While Megatron took refuge inside my helm, he told me things that I didn't know and that I feel that I should've known…" I closed my optics and let everything out, "Why didn't you tell me that we were related, Optimus?"

When I opened my optics again, Optimus had barely flinched like it wasn't even news to him! Well, of course, he knows for Primus sake, but, you know, a little hint to show his knowledge of it would've been nice.

Sunburst, out of the corner of my optic, was fiddling with his servos. It was a sign of nervousness when he was around important figures such as Optimus during important times like this. He did it around Alpha Trion now and then too when he was nervous around him.

I looked between them. Something, I didn't know what was making me feel stressed. Neither of them had said a thing. I just want some answers!

"Don't you two speak at once…" I sarcastically quipped, crossing my arms. My voice had risen like it normally does when I'm stressed.

"Windswept, I was unsure if you knew. Megatron doesn't speak much truth to his team."

Well, that was obviously true. He never told me any truth while I was on his side on Cybertron. Had I not broken away from his lies that kept me trapped on the Decepticon side, I might've still been there today.

"I apologise for not telling you sooner. But now that you know, it is time we make decisions over what we do with this information."

"What do you mean?" I was totally confused. Who said anything had to be done with this information? And what are we exactly doing with it?

"He wants the team to know so that there isn't anything kept from them," Sunburst explained to me.

I nodded in realisation and understanding. Optimus doesn't want to be like Megatron.

Would the team treat me any different if they knew that I was related to the Prime and a Warlord? I surely hope not. My connections with both Optimus and Megatron weren't a big deal like the other ongoing issues. I don't see why anyone would make it out to be a big deal.

I supposed it scared me a little… to tell everyone that is. Another incident like the one involving poor Sunburst and all hell might break loose. As if it could be broken any further, but you never what could happen, you know?

And then there's Arcee, who's my closest friend that understands so much. Will she trust me if I told her all this new information? Would she believe me if I said that I had never known about this because my mind was wiped? Would she want to even continue working on this team if I stayed and she hated me so much because of all this?

And don't forget about Carly! Oh Primus, what if the Decepticon's decide that going after her will tempt me to join them as long as I knew that Carly was safe? What would the Decepticons do to make me rejoin them? They'd probably kidnap her or something! Force me onto their side...!

Primus, I'm rambling, aren't I?

"'Swept?" I blinked my optics to get myself out of my mind when Sunburst called my name worriedly.

I looked up at him, "Yes?"

"What do you want to do?"

I sighed, rubbing my servo over my forehead. It isn't really the teams business. It really isn't. But if it's what makes us bond and grow stronger, then I guess, at this point, it's probably better off now that they know then find out from someone like Megatron later on. If he told any of our team, he would probably twist his words to make it sound like a bad thing.

If Megatron wasn't around, then it would make things a lot simpler to deal with.

"We tell them, then," I decided, looking at Optimus square in the optic, "Better now than later."

I saw Sunburst looking from me to Optimus from the corner of my optic, "Well, you're the boss. When do we start bringing the bad news?"

I rolled my optics at that comment. Sunburst could be strict when necessary, but he was also quite witty sometimes. It annoyed the hell out of me at Iacon all those years ago and it was still annoying now. But that was never gonna change though. I hope.

"One step at a time."

* * *

Everyone seemed to take the revelation about my true heritage alright. In the end, we agreed to go through the team in small groups at different stages. I refused to allow Optimus to be apart of the conversation between Starlight, Aquastrike, Sunburst and myself mainly because Starlight and Aquastrike are two people I wanted to tell personally since I've known them for so long. I also chose to tell Carly and Arcee on different occasions on their own too because they are my closest friends besides the Iacon group. They need to hear it from me.

Carly reacted positively and wanted to know everything. I told her about the time Megatron spent in my helm and how I found out. She was sad that I had that going on inside my helm, but she was happy that I told her. Our guardian-charge bond was growing by the second.

Starlight and Aquastrike, the former especially, were hesitant to ask questions about the whole thing. Can you blame them though? Starlight with a sister on the opposite side and Aquastrike, well, she couldn't really relate in any way but she wanted to. She asked a ton of questions and made it clear that Megatron won't see what's coming for him. Starlight on the other hand... things were tense for a few hours after we allowed it to sink in. But when she came up to hug me later that day, I knew that she still trusted me.

Starlight's always had an issue with trust. So for her to be okay with all the truth now, it was because she deeply trusted me. And I trusted her very much.

The team were a hard group to decipher their reactions. Bulkhead and Bumblebee were iffy, Ratchet shrugged it off like it was old news to him (because it actually was), and the rest of the kids took a moment to realise that they had a former Decepticon, actually half a Decepticon, under the same roof they were in. But for some reason, Bumblebee supported me and I don't exactly know why; maybe because of his personal ordeal with Megatron. Bulkhead thought it was kind of cool to have an ex-con around.

Later on, he asked me if I had any dirt on Breakdown to dish to him. Unfortunately, I didn't really have anything on the Decepticons except for one or two things on certain Decepticons.

Bulkhead's probably thinking up what to do with some newfound info I told him about Breakdown. But as far as anyone else is concerned, I don't know how he got that info.

Upon hearing that I knew a few things about the Decepticons that no one else did, Miko thought it'd be awesome to hear all about them. So she was okay. Raf and Jack were on the fence, but seeing as how Carly was fine about everything, they thought it was okay too.

Arcee was probably the one to take it the worst out of all of them. Like Starlight, she also has personal trust issues and accused me of using my knowledge of her and the team for personal use for the Decepticons. After explaining to her multiple times that I was an Autobot through and through, she still wouldn't believe me.

That hurt the most. I thought Arcee would've understood a little bit more. It didn't make much sense to me and it put a strain on our partnership. I valued my friendship with Arcee so much as she was the first person I really bonded with when I arrived on Earth. She had landed shortly before me with Cliffjumper so us three we're on the same length. We kind of bonded and got to know Earth together.

I hope our friendship can be repaired soon. Seeing Arcee angry at me was horrible. Maybe I should try talking to her again and see if there's any hope.

Wish me luck.

* * *

And just like that, this mid-story saga is complete. However, as I said in the past chapter, everything we've learned over these three chapters will still reappear throughout this story and in the future. I hope that touching onto the subject of Windswept's true past now and then is done well.

This is all the LAST original chapter for this story too! Yep, no more pauses in between episode chapters. From now, it's Shadowzone all the way through until the big Unicron fiasco at the end! And speaking of Shadowzone, I can't say for sure when that chapter will appear. I have to make some major edits to it, and that's a big job if I need to do more changes then planned. Hopefully, I can get something out within the next month, but I'm not going to put an exact timeframe on it.

Thank you for reading


	17. Chpt 17: Shadowzone

_They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!_

Over the last week, my inspiration has been flowing for this story. I'm excited to announce that I am officially in the stages of preplanning THE SEQUEL to this story! I finished my drafts for the One Shall Rise saga and I have begun the Orion Pax saga. I have also begun the PREQUEL for this series as well - so far, I've completed two chapters, and I'm planning to start the third shortly. I want to at least have a handful of those chapters done before I'm ready to start posting. I still intend on posting the sequel and prequel to this alongside each other. I can't wait to show you all what's coming next after this story!

Thank you to Alexandra de Sulfeng for favouriting this story. Quite the coincidence that I got the notification right as I'm about to post this chapter.

This chapter starts off in no one's P.O.V.

\- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.  
\- Windswept and the other OC's belong to me.

(Chapter Title: Unknown Territory)

* * *

The sky was dark. The moon was full. The clouds hid away the stars. That could only mean one thing – the Nemesis must be floating around nearby.

The Decepticons inside the Warship had now grown accustomed to their original settings. Megatron, now very much alive and back to full health, had returned comfortably to his position as the Leader of the Decepticons. Slipstream, the ever-faithful second-In-command had also returned to her post without a trace of concern that someone could come up and snatch the spot away from her. Soundwave, also the most loyal and rather most silent of them all, had been given back his position as third-in-command, silently listening in on every conversation held on the Nemesis that hinted rebellion.

But no one would dare to even think of over-throwing Megatron ever again. Not unless they wanted to look like Starscream.

The silver and red-hinted Decepticon lay flat on the medical berth in Knock Out's med-bay, still covered in scratches and with endless amounts of tubes connect to his body to monitor his vitals. He wheezed and gasped in the pain that Megatron had inflicted upon him.

Slipstream smirked as said mech approached the medical berth. And to think, Megatron was lying in that exact place two weeks ago.

Starscream gasped in the realisation that someone was approaching. His red optics opened suddenly, locking with Megatron's own piercing red optics with fright.

"Resting comfortably, Starscream?" The much taller Decepticon asked, "Despite the extent of your injuries, my medical staff assures me that you shall make a rapid recovery."

If Slipstream didn't know any better, then she would've missed Megatron's tone of voice suggesting that he was rather a little disappointed that Starscream would still be able to walk on both feet without an issue.

The silver Cybertronian was slow to sit up, but was quick to bite back at his leader, "Hopefully every bit as rapid as your wrath is swift." He coughed in pain.

On the opposite side of Starscream was Moonlight, overlooking the former's pained expression. She gave him a pat on the back to help stop him from coughing. But upon seeing Megatron's narrowed glance at her, she soon slinked away from her former leader.

Slipstream, standing proudly nearby Megatron as his second-in-command, wasn't going to deny that she enjoyed seeing Moonlight finally getting put into her place. The black and pink Decepticon had gotten the message about what happened when you attempt to overthrow not only Megatron but Slipstream too.

She could barely make out the talon marks on Moonlight's neck, but they were there. Reminding Moonlight to never try to take the second-in-command position away from Slipstream. Because she fights back. Hard.

Megatron chuckled in amusement of their behaviour, "And how swiftly things change. To think that but a short time ago, it was **you** who was standing here while **I** was lying there. Right after your failed attempt to terminate me! But know this, dear Starscream, our positions shall never again be reversed."

Happy to say what he got to say, Megatron walked away from the medical berth, his thunderous footsteps slowly disappearing from Starscream's audio receptors. Slipstream took one glance at the pair of Decepticons in front of her before following her leader out of the med-bay.

She couldn't bear to stand another second anywhere near that toxic Moonlight.

As soon as Megatron and Slipstream had disappeared to the corridor outside the med-bay. Starscream hissed and wasted no time, ripping tube after tube off his body. Moonlight was surprised by Starscream's motivation, having seen the injuries he sustained from Megatron, but then she smirked. Starscream was never stood down for long.

And neither was she. It was time to move back into action.

"Shall we move onto back-up plan A?" Moonlight innocently questioned the silver Decepticon, immediately helping him to stand up when he chose to.

"We shall."

Outside, the medical room, Knock Out was busy looking through a data-pad in his servos, pressing the odd button on it here and there. Rebecca Rose watched him from a distance on a shelf nearby.

After seeing the leader and second-in-command of the Decepticons walk out of the med-bay. Rebecca knew Starscream far too well to know that he wouldn't stay down for very long. He was like a puppy who never ran out of energy, no matter how much they would run around and play. Just like his thirst for the Decepticon leadership never ended no matter how quenched that thirst would be.

So she wasn't too surprised when the doors behind Knock Out slid open, revealing a weak Starscream holding his chest. But what surprised her was Moonlight following alongside him. She narrowed her eyes at the Decepticon.

Upon seeing Starscream limping in the corner of his optics, the red medical Decepticon looked around towards him in surprise, "Starscream? Have you lost your senses?" He trailed after him when he refused to acknowledge him, "You haven't fully recuperated!"

"I feel fine, Knock Out! Never better! You're a brilliant physician! Now GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Starscream demanded frustratingly, shoving the red Decepticon out of the way before continuing his journey.

Moonlight went to follow him before a small noise below her interrupted her walk. She looked down at her feet, annoyed to find a superhuman with crossed arms in front of her foot.

"And where do you two think you're going?"

"None of your concern, Rebecca." She bent down and picked up the human, wrapping her digits around the girl. She pulled her close to her face with narrowed optics, "Now, be a darling and leave Starscream and I be. We have important matters to attend to, kid." Without a care in the world, Moonlight threw the girl over her shoulder, walking away quickly to catch up with the limping Starscream.

Despite her close bond with the superhuman at first, Moonlight had soon gotten over her fascination with the girl. Now she was just poking into everyone's business and being annoying.

'Someone should put a muzzle on that human,' Moonlight thought with amusement as she walked on with Starscream.

Behind them, Knock Out, who was a tad more concerned about the damage Starscream had possibly done to his finish than what his two Cybertronian comrades were up to, was unprepared when Rebecca suddenly landed in his hand. He watched her rise to her feet in his hand slowly, shaking her head as if she was making sure she wasn't seeing double and took off on her hoverboard after the two Decepticons.

And to think, Moonlight and Rebecca were the best of friends when Moonlight had first arrived onto the Decepticon scene. But then Knock Out shook his head.

Friendships within the Decepticon ranks tended to never last.

He should be thankful that his long-lasting partnerships with Slipstream and Breakdown have lasted longer than many others.

The doors slid open before Starscream and Moonlight, showing them an empty corridor. The two walked through the doors quickly, allowing them to close as they continued down the corridor. While Starscream continued to wheeze over his injuries, Moonlight showed him a confused expression.

Just because she was aware of the back-up plan was, it didn't mean that she was aware of what the plan entailed.

"Where are we going, Starscream?"

"Dark Energon may have replenished our master's strength," Starscream began, stopping suddenly and reaching into a small space behind a wall, "But how could he forget that he never reclaimed his original shard?" He returned to full heigh, revealing the purple Dark Energon shard within his hand.

Starscream remembered when he flew into space weeks ago after Soundwave picked up a signal near the wreckage of the Spacebridge the Decepticons had used to bring through Megatron's army with little success. He remembered finding his severely weakened master floating around with the wreckage, the gaping hole in his chest showing the Dark Energon shard he had plunged into his spark after his return from space. He remembered pulling the shard out from his master's chest, watching as the life from his red optics faded away.

"His original Dark Energon shard?" Moonlight gasped in disbelief, bringing Starscream out of his thoughts as she overlooked the shard with a sparkle in her optics.

"When Slipstream presented the Dark Energon shard to me as a way of reviving our master, I took it upon my own hands to hide somewhere no one could find it," Starscream explained with a small smirk.

Moonlight chuckled to herself, "Oh dear, Starscream. What are you planning?"

Starscream could only chuckle at Moonlight's eagerness, "Once the blood of Unicron flows through MY veins, our positions with our master and second-in-command shall be reversed…" Starscream could only say as his answer.

Behind the two Decepticons, a small human by the name of Rebecca Rose stood in surprise at what she had heard. Starscream and Moonlight were going to attempt to overthrow Megatron and Slipstream again. This time with something a little extra to help.

Rebecca slapped her forehead in frustration. How long was it going to take for Starscream and Moonlight to get the message about who runs the Decepticons?

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

"Let's try it again. Okay, ready? From the top. Aaaaannnddd... go!"

"Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete... ocho... erhm, nueve... uhhhhh, d... uhmmm, d.."

"Time!"

Oh man!

"It's diez."

Dammit! I was so close!

As we made our way to Autobot Base, Carly was teaching me simple Spanish language as a way to entertain ourselves during the drive to the base. She's been teaching me a lot of her Spanish heritage that she and Raf have grown up with. It's really interesting hearing about her and Raf's culture. In fact, pretty much all the humans are ethnically diverse. Carly and Raf are Spanish, Miko's Japanese and Agent Fowler's African-American. Jack's mentioned that he isn't sure of his culture apart from being American. He just hasn't searched into his heritage as the others have.

"Don't worry 'Swept. It is kind of hard to learn when you're going through it for the first time. You'll pick it up!" Carly assured me.

I smiled inside my motorcycle form as we entered the entrance tunnel heading towards the main room of the base. Carly could be so reassuring sometimes. It's really what I need when I'm feeling down and need a little pick-me-up. Which was something I definitely needed right now.

"Any progress between you and Arcee?" My charge asked me warily.

It hurts knowing that my partnership with Arcee was still damaged. I tried talking to her on multiple occasions, even using our sparring times to get a discussion going. It didn't work and one time I left the training room with bruised side. Now when I think about it. I know that I just have to give it time. Arcee was someone who needed time process things and decide whether or not to move forward. Besides, there's a good chance that the experience with that Decepticon posing as Sunburst a wee while back maybe playing on her mind a bit. And who's wouldn't it?

I drove into and parked up in the meeting room of the base. As soon as Carly hopped off my motorcycle frame, I transformed and quickly found Optimus, Ratchet, Bumblebee, Starlight and the humans looking at the computer screens. I locked my optics on Optimus when he turned to me, "What's going on?"

"I had hoped that my growing expertise on the subject would remain purely academic," Ratchet began, his optics locked on the computer screen above. On it, a large red signal was travelling at high speeds in what looked to be in some sort of rough terrain, "But though faint, this is clearly a Dark Energon signature. And it's moving fast."

"Megatron," Optimus realised.

Yeah, that sounds about right, Megatron wasting no time into rejuvenating the plans that failed so miserably the last time.

"Where did he find more of the bad stuff?" My audio receptors twitched at the voice coming nearby from me. And before I could stop them, my optics locked with Arcee's, who quickly looked up to the screen when she realised that I had returned to base.

"What's he going to do with it?" Sunburst asked, following Arcee into the room with Aquastrike and Bulkhead.

"Rebuild an army of the undead?" Bulkhead wondered, throwing his arms about.

Miko brightened up at the words, immediately pausing in her drawing and looking over at us with an excited expression, "Zombie Cons?"

"You just _had_ to say 'the undead', didn't you?" I heard Carly mutter before greeting Jack with a quick peck on the lips.

"Gross," Miko scowled at the couple, going back to whatever she was drawing.

"We cannot rule out the possibility," Optimus nodded at the suggestion Bulkhead gave him. The red flashing signal on the computer screen was still moving at a rapid pace, "Especially since Megatron seems to be heading to a familiar sight."

I hummed. That rough terrain on the map does look familiar...

"Who even said it was Megatron in the first place?" Starlight argued, raising a hand at the screen.

"It's Dark 'Nergon, Star. Of course it's bucket'ead!" Aquastrike protested back.

"I'm just saying. It wouldn't be the first time we would be misled into believing something that wasn't."

A growl was incidentally heard after Starlight finished her sentence. Sunburst and I took one look at one another. We both knew what Starlight was referring to AND who it was that growled at hearing that sentence...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Starscream flew urgently over the canyon. It was the first time that he'd been properly out of the Decepticon Warships for weeks, given that as the Decepticon leader, it wasn't best to stray very far anyway. And Starscream couldn't go anywhere anyway after Megatron reclaimed the Lord of the Decepticons position off him.

If Megatron knew what he was up to, he would be lying in that medical berth for another two, if not more, weeks. Best to get this plan up and running quickly.

Below him, his recently faithful companion in Moonlight chased the shadow of his jet form, her black and pink Ducati motorcycle form racing to keep up with the quick pace the jet above her had. It was important that Moonlight continued her quest for a piece of Decepticon leadership. She needed to find a way to get close to Megatron again and maybe this way might be the only way.

She only needs to fool Starscream a little bit longer.

Starscream flew closer to the ground Moonlight's vehicle form was racing on and transformed into his Cybertronian form with a purring purple shard of Dark Energon in his tight grip. Moonlight soon followed suit and transformed as well, appearing beside the still battered and bruised Seeker.

"Ah… The gravesite of the almighty Skyquake. So quick to object my authority while you lived." Moonlight shook her head in disappointment during Starscream's monologue. Skyquake would've been a great warrior to the Decepticon cause. But his ever-lasting loyalty to Megatron cost him his own life before he had the chance to serve his master.

Starscream held up the shard of Dark Energon, "But as the first of my reanimated warriors, you shall bow to my command." He snapped the shard in two, purple mist oozing around the broken pieces. It followed after one piece when Starscream threw it to the gravesite that was created in honour of Skyquake.

Moonlight watched it bounce from three of the largest rocks that sat on top of the burial site, soon finding its' way through a gap in the rocks. The shard wasted no time activating its power, the grave glowing purple. Her optics lit up at the glow coming from the grave: she had never seen Dark Energon work its' power before. It was mesmerising for her, to stand there and watch the glow get brighter and brighter.

Beside her, Starscream took one look at the other half of the Decepticon shard and stabbed himself with it in his chassis through his Decepticon emblem. His optics glowing purple, he purred in delight as the infamous blood of Unicron began taking over his form., "Yes... Power of Dark Energon, be MINE!"

Moonlight gasped in fright as her companion beside her suddenly lit up in purple flames from the Dark Energon now pumping through his body. She shook her head in disbelief and in the realisation of what Starscream had planned.

"Symbiosis," Starscream purred before he cackled at the power he could feel; from the small shard that he had shoved through the emblem on his chest. He clutched his hands into fists, "I can feel it!

Moonlight had to jump away from Starscream when the ground began to crack, the same mesmerising purple glow lighting it's way up from the ground through the cracks. It was rising with Starscream, who held his arms up at the Dark Energon now rushing through his veins.

This was not what Moonlight had anticipated Starscream to do.

Was Starscream that crazy? Apparently so...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

"Megatron has barely emerged from stasis. And it seems he's already making up for lost time," Optimus observed, looking at all of us "Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Aquastrike, Starlight, Windswept, Ratchet, prepare to roll out!"

It didn't surprise me that Optimus called upon a large group of us to tackle this mission. There was no doubt in my mind that if Megatron was indeed planning something with Dark Energon, Slipstream and possibly Soundwave and Rebecca were there to back him up too. That could mean that we could have a big battle on our hands. Especially if Dark Energon was involved.

As the group of us whose names were selected began making our way towards the Groundbridge to prepare ourselves for the mission, I heard Ratchet gasp in what was probably surprise, "Me?"

"If we are dealing with Dark Energon, I may well require your expertise," Optimus simply told his old friend, "Sunburst, Arcee?"

"Bridge operators," Sunburst nodded.

"Got it," Arcee finished.

If I didn't know better, I wouldn't be thinking that Arcee was glad that she wasn't going to be stuck on this mission with me. She had refused to say even one word to me since I told her everything about a week ago. If something went wrong on the battlefield, and if Arcee and I were unable to communicate with one another, things could go wrong. It was no secret that we weren't speaking. We can't have that hangover everyone's heads.

Aquastrike and Starlight shared a fist bump. This was going to be their first proper mission together. In fact, for us three femmes from Iacon, it was going to be the first time we all were going on a mission. You'd have to go a wee way back during our Iacon days to find when we last were on the battlefield together!

"You got this 'Swept! Go bash some 'Cons for me!" Carly yelled out from the human rec area.

I smirked and threw a few air punches in excitement, riling myself up for a good battle. I mean, come on, if Slipstream's there, then, of course, it's gonna be a good fight!

"Go get 'em, Bulkhead! Bring the hurt!" Bulkhead could only punch his fists together over his chassis at his charge's encouragement.

Miko must still be intently focused on the drawing she was working on. She didn't sound so excited about the mission. She hasn't even run over to Optimus yet and demanded that she come watch us.

Hmmm... weird...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Behind the Autobots who were preparing themselves for the mission, Jack, Carly and Raf couldn't help but narrow their eyes at their normally enthusiastic friend. Sitting opposite the trio on a couch to herself, Miko continued her drawing, not showing the slightest bit of interest in the fact that her guardian and his teammates were about to embark on yet another mission.

"That's not like Miko to not wanna go," Jack remarked with a shake of his head.

"She's definitely up to something," Raf agreed in a whisper, looking at Jack.

Carly wasn't convinced by Miko just sitting on the couch with no intentions to follow the Autobots through the Groundbridge that was about to open. She shook her head and glued her eyes to her friend, preparing herself for when her best friend decided to make a move, "Juuuuust wait for it."

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Having overheard the discussion between the humans behind me, I couldn't help but smile about Carly. She knew her best friend far too well for her to just sit and behave herself for a change. Even if we all wanted Miko to just stay put and stay the hell out of the mess we were surely about to enter.

The Groundbridge swirled to life in front of us. As we entered deep within the blue and green swirls, Optimus transformed into his truck semi form. We all quickly followed suit and drove through the passageway to see what just was on the other side.

Or, as Starlight had mentioned earlier, _who_ exactly was waiting for us.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Carly should've known that something was going to happen the second she saw Miko's eyes move away from her drawing.

With a smirk, Miko leapt over the armrest of her chair, her pens and drawing pad left behind and began her race after the Autobots.

Jack jumped to his feet, "Making a break!" Manoeuvring his way around the furniture, even tripping up over a loose crate, the black-haired boy began his chase after his friend. Carly and Raf wasted no time following after him.

Meanwhile, Sunburst looked at Arcee with a worrying glance. He was worried about the friendship between his friend and his sister who had failed to communicate with each other since certain truths came out. Arcee was a lone Autobot as it was and didn't really connect with the other members in the base as it was apart from Jack and his sister. Sunburst didn't want the two to lose their partnership because of what had been shared.

"Hey, Arcee? Are y-"

"If it's about Windswept, I don't want to hear it."

Sunburst closed his mouth as quickly as he could when Arcee interrupted him. But it didn't last long, "I was just going to ask if you were okay, but you know what, never mind."

Arcee huffed, turning to face the taller yellow and white mech, "What do you want from me, Sunburst?"

While the two Autobots began talking, their discussion was enough for them to miss a certain Japanese exchange student landing at the bottom of the stairs leading up to their area of the base. The certain student who was quickly making her way towards the still open Groundbridge because of Sunburst distracting Arcee...

Miko was close to her fulfilling part two of her plan – sneak through the Groundbridge successfully. Part one was to make her peers believe that she wasn't even thinking about following her Autobot friends. Part three was to take as many photos as her phone would allow of the upcoming battle.

Behind her, Jack, Carly and Raf were quick to jump down the steps and continue their chase after their friend.

"What's going on between me and Windswept is none of your concern Sunburst," Arcee growled, looking away from Sunburst and back at the Groundbridge controls.

Sunburst narrowed his optics. He wasn't going to give up on this argument. He may regret it later, but he might've regretted it a lot more if he didn't try to help his friends sort out their issues. "For Primus sake, Arcee, just talk to 'Swept please!"

Miko was nearly there. She was ready for the Groundbridge to transport her to where the Autobots had gone to. It was so close...

"It's not safe!" Miko was forced to stop suddenly when someone behind her grabbed her wrist tightly. She looked around and wasn't very surprised to find Jack attempting to drag her back inside the base.

"I am not going to miss my first Zombie Con throw down!" Miko protested back, attempting to pull away from Jack's grip.

Carly, who had now caught up to the pair, grabbed Miko's other wrist and attempted to help Jack drag her friend back into base with much difficulty, "Well, we don't want..." She stopped briefly in her struggle. "...You to become a zombie yourself!"

Jack and Carly failed to take note of how strong Miko's will power was. The attempt at stopping her only made their friend more determined to see the battle. She fought herself out of their grips and continued racing into the Groundbridge.

"Arghhhh! That girl!" Carly groaned, racing into the Groundbridge after her friend. Jack and Raf soon followed after them.

What the four humans failed to notice was that the small pink rectangular device that their adventurous friend had dropped amidst the struggle...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Huh, so this place is familiar after all.

After we drove through the Groundbridge, we had transformed immediately to find ourselves in the Grand Canyon. For Optimus, Bumblebee and myself, this place was quite familiar, given that we had battled Skyquake here after he was reawakened by Starscream and Slipstream in an attempt to gain more control over their Decepticons.

Hmmmm, maybe Starlight was right. As far as we were concerned, Megatron wasn't aware of Skyquake being alive during his comatose state. Maybe it isn't him after all.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Behind the Autobots, the four humans known as Miko, Carly, Jack and Raf popped out of the Groundbridge one by one. Miko was quick to follow her Cybertronian friends and start preparing for part three of her plan – find a good spot to take some pictures of the upcoming battle. And she did just so by climbing up a pile of rocks to get a better view. Carly, Jack and Raf wasted no time climbing up after her.

Now on top of the rock pile, she looked up to see the Autobots make their way towards the Decepticon who was causing the Dark Energon signal.

"That's not Megatron!" She heard her guardian yell in realisation.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

No Bulkhead, it most certainly wasn't Megatron.

And Starlight was indeed correct.

Standing before us, full of what we could only assume was Dark Energon, was Starscream, who looked rather bruised from what I presumed was a recent fight, and Moonlight, standing nearby.

"Rise, Skyquake! Rise!" Starscream commanded as the rock memorial Optimus, Bumblebee and I had left for Skyquake began to shake the earth around us, glowing a bright purple...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Let's see some fight of the living dead already!" Miko cried with excitement, her eyes gleaming and waiting to see the fight begin.

"Miko! What were you thinking?" Jack hissed, joining her with Carly and Raf.

"She wasn't," Carly and Raf answered for her, their eyes narrowing at their friend.

"Hey! I totally missed out last time! This could be my only chance to take some snaps," Miko told them, looking between Jack and Carly either side of her. She sat up and began to feel around for phone only for the realisation to soon dawn upon her, standing up and looking around her, "My cell phone! I must have dropped it back at base!"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

As soon as Optimus slid on his battle mask and activated his weapons, we were all quick to follow. It was time for the battle to begin.

"Starscream," Optimus growled, gaining his and Moonlight's attention.

"Autobots!" Said Decepticons cursed when they turned around and realised that we had arrived to spoil their party.

"Stand down!" Optimus growled as we aimed our weapons towards them.

"You stand down!" Starscream pathetically ordered, pointing the missile on his arm at us.

Using a single digit, he fired the missile at us. We all scrambled to take cover immediately, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Aquastrike going one way while Optimus, Ratchet, Starlight and I went another. An explosion of orange flames and black smoke soon followed after us. The two groups of us hid behind rocks large enough to keep us all hidden.

"You cannot harm me while Dark Energon flows through my veins!" Starscream announced.

Optimus was quick at attempting to disprove this theory, appearing from behind the rock and firing a blaster shot at the weak Decepticon. The shot managed to grab Starscream's lower arm and blow it right off. We watched as Starscream looked and realise that his arm had been shot off, standing in shock of what had occurred.

Aquastrike whistled on the other side of us, "Nice shot, Prime!"

She wasn't wrong. It was a good hit!

"Oh, you idiot!" Moonlight groaned, face-palming before racing over to Starscream. Grabbing his only arm left, she dragged him away from us, firing a few shots at us from her blasters. We dodged the blaster fire with ease, but it was enough of a distraction for the pair of Decepticons to grab the remains of Starscream's arm and take cover.

"You clipped his wing. He's grounded," Bulkhead told Optimus.

"Then what are we waiting for then?" Starlight growled and immediately jumped over the rock she was hiding behind with Optimus, Ratchet and I.

"Scrap!" I groaned as we chased after the femme. Starlight's anger was clouding her judgement again. And she was doing so well holding back...

"Come on. Come on. RISE ALREADY!" We heard Starscream impatiently exclaim at the glowing burial site we were charging too.

We paused for a moment, spreading ourselves out in case Starscream and Moonlight decided to pull a runner. Starlight, however, continued to inch closer and closer to the rock her sister and Starscream were hiding behind.

"Oh, you are a fool, Starscream!" Moonlight huffed, "Moonlight to the Nemesis, requesting an emergency Groundbridge to my coordinates!"

We continued inching closer and closer to the rock providing shelter for the injured Starscream and the annoyed Moonlight. This was it. We were about to possibly take two Decepticons, prisoner...

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU MADE ME LOSE MY PHONE!"

Oh, you have **got** to be kidding me!

Standing on a pile of rocks behind us were our four lovely, faithful and _responsible_ human friends. Jack, Carly, Miko and Raf...

"How is this my fault?!" Jack's voice was loud enough for us to hear him say to Miko.

"Oh no," Bulkhead gasped.

Starlight, who had removed herself from her vendetta against Moonlight, for the time being, walked past Ratchet and Bulkhead and looked up at the humans that had followed us, "Never underestimate Miko's acting."

Most of us nodded in agreement.

I wasn't too concerned. All we had to do was get the humans back to base with one or two of us to make sure they went back. Shouldn't be a big deal, right?

"Well, well, well." Now that did not make things any better. Appearing out of nowhere behind the human kids was none other than Rebecca Rose, a boomerang in her hand and prepared to cause mayhem.

Now, that was a problem.

My fear over Carly heightened to a new level, seeing her, Jack, Miko and Raf slowly back away from the brown and red-haired girl. I charged ahead of the group, pointing my two blasters at the superhuman, "Back away from the children, Rebecca. **Now**."

"Awhhh, but 'Swept!" I cringed angrily at her using my nickname, "I've only just arrived at the party! Don't tell me it's over already!"

This kid had some kind of sick humour.

" _ **Base to Optimus. The kids are missing.**_ "

"Oh, so you now you just realise, Arcee?! Honestly? NOW?!"

I looked around me and saw that Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Aquastrike and Starlight were giving me looks of horror.

Did I just say that out loud...?

Oh scrap.

"We have a visual," Optimus responded to Arcee after a moment, "Send a Groundbridge immediately."

Just like that, a Groundbridge portal opened up in front of us. But then the sounds of a duplicate Groundbridge sounded through our audio receptors. We turned to discover a second Groundbridge on the far side of us. One of them was for us, the other for Starscream, Moonlight and Rebecca.

Which one was ours?

"Two?" Ratchet gasped before turning to the humans, "YOU FOUR! ENTER OUR GROUNDBRIDGE! NOW!"

Wait! Rebecca!

I turned back around to see the humans. Thankfully all of them, including Rebecca, were distracted by the opening of the double Groundbridges to have made a move. I pointed my blasters at Rebecca once more, gaining her attention, "You, leave, now. You know I won't be afraid to shoot even if you're standing beside those kids or not."

That was a gigantic lie. But shhhh, she can't know that they're my weaknesses.

Rebecca rolled her eyes and put her boomerangs away, jumping away from the kids, "And the party was just getting started and everything..."

The disappointed look in Miko was clear but Carly was smart enough to grab her by the wrist and drag her off the rock pile with their friends before she could think otherwise, muttering something to her. However, I didn't trust Miko. There was no way that Carly, Jack and Raf could keep Miko at bay for very long. And what if Rebecca didn't take off like I made her to?

I looked between Aquastrike and Starlight with panic in my optics, "Make sure they get through safely!"

The two nodded at my request and ran after the humans towards our Groundbridge. At the other side of us, Starscream, with his loose arm, Moonlight and Rebecca were sprinting towards their Groundbridge, the two Cybertronians diving into the portal with Rebecca shortly behind them. At the same she ran into the Decepticon Groundbridge, the humans, Aquastrike and Starlight raced into ours.

Whewww. They were safe.

Unfamiliar whirring began to occur out of the Groundbridges. Their energies of blue and green swirls began reaching out towards the other, making the sight a little more bluey-green than normal.

Oh no... Something's gone horribly wrong. I could feel it!

"Ratchet, what is happening?" Optimus asked.

"The duelling Groundbridge portals must be feeding back each other!" Ratchet yelled in answer, having to raise his voice over the rising sounds of whirring.

The kids, Aquastrike and Starlight came back into my mind. They had just entered the portal before the whirring began. I gasped, looking up at Bulkhead, "Carly!"

"And Miko! We've got to get the kids out of there!" Bulkhead nodded at me.

We charged towards our still open Groundbridge, preparing ourselves to leap into it after our friends. But just as we reached it, the energies from the open portal spat us away from it, landing on the ground a few feet away from it hard. But I shook my helm – there was no way that I was going to-

Just as I climbed onto my knees, an explosion forced everything I saw to go black...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

A common Vehicon was busy at work at a computer station. He was reading the screen in front of him carefully, making sure that what he didn't miss anything that was on it. If there was important information that Megatron should know about, and he didn't tell him said information, he might end up on a medical berth similar to Starscream had been. So he continued his work as if there was nothing that could distract him.

Until a familiar whirring sound erupted in his audio receptors behind him.

Spinning around, the Vehicon was surprised to find Starscream and Moonlight diving through, landing on their fronts with groans. As the Groundbridge closed behind them, Starscream sat up onto his knees and looked around in horror.

"My arm!"

Moonlight huffed, clenching her hands into fists tightly as she stood to full height, "If you've lost that arm, I swear to Primus..." She trailed off when she realised that there was a common Vehicon in front of them.

Starscream jumped up towards him, pointing a clawed talon to the innocent Cybertronian, "Not a word about this! TO ANYONE!" With that, the still bruised Decepticon wandered away from the drone and towards the doors of the medical bay.

Moonlight shook her head in disappointment. The back-up plan was a fail. But more importantly, her plan of trying to Starscream into trouble to get into Megatron's good books was well underway. She chuckled to herself as she followed after the injured Decepticon to the medical bay, watching him pull the broken Dark Energon shard out from his chest.

Starscream was no Megatron.

* * *

The dust began to clear from the explosion that had taken the wind out of everyone's sails. Every unconscious form of Autobot and human were scattered around the canyon. No one knew exactly what had just occurred, but what they did know was they were just starting to come to after being knocked to the ground from the impact of the strange explosion.

"Whoaa..." Miko came to first, groaning and shaking her head.

"What was that?" Carly wondered, brushing off any dirt off her sleeves.

"Are you guys OK?" Jack asked with concern, looking between his human friends

"Yeah. I think so," Raf groaned, adjusting his glasses as they began to climb to their feet.

"Urghhh, I feel like pukin'!" Aquastrike moaned, falling onto her back when she attempted to stand.

Starlight, who was climbing to her knees beside her bulky aqua blue friend, cringed and moved away, "Please don't vomit anything near me."

As the two Autobots and the four humans began to familiarise themselves with the place they were in, the sounds of groaning behind them immediately caught their attention. Their friends were beginning to wake up.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Ohhhhh man... what happened...? Bright lights, loud noises...

A Groundbridge... or two...

The other Autobots around me also began to come to, Bulkhead the first of all of us to get onto his feet. He looked around at us and asked worriedly, "What just happened?"

I fell onto my back when I attempted to climb to my knees. Man, whatever that explosion was sure took all the energy out of me. Bulkhead appeared in front of me and reached out his servo. My weak arms managed to reach out to his, both my tiny servos grabbing his larger sole one so he could help me get to my feet.

Ratchet groaned nearby, also climbing to his feet with Optimus and Bumblebee, "I can't be certain. But if two Groundbridges sent to the same coordinates crossed streams, the feedback could have triggered a system overload."

I took a step forward, looking around the canyon for any sight of my friends that ran through the portal. I just hoped that with Aquastrike and Starlight, the humans made it through the portal safely to base.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Could?" Aquastrike questioned the word in disbelief, now that she was up onto her feet with Starlight. She pulled a face at the medical Autobot like he was talking about something she didn't understand.

"Hello! More like totally did!" Miko agreed.

"The kids made it through, right?" The green, bulky former Wrecker asked worriedly, looking around the canyon.

" **And Starlight and Aquastrike**?" The yellow and black scout asked.

"Huh?" Raf hummed in surprise.

"What?" Carly questioned in disbelief walking with Miko towards their guardians.

"What're they talking about?" Jack wondered.

Miko stopped in her walking, looking up at her guardian with anger and confusion, "Bulkhead! We're right here!"

"'Swept! Hey! Down here!" Carly yelled, jumping up and down to get her guardian's attention to no avail.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V.**

Something seems off. That explosion must have done something. If the humans, Aquastrike and Starlight made it back to base, surely Sunburst and Arcee would've commed to tell us that they made it back safe and sound.

"Arcee, did the children make it safely back to base?" Optimus spoke into the main commlink.

" _ **Negative.**_ " I swallowed hard at Arcee's answer. " _ **You don't see them?**_ "

"No sign," Ratchet answered, taking a few steps forward.

"Where are they then?" I asked with panic, fear and anger mixed into one, looking around at Ratchet. I think my optics might've had a deranged look in them. Ratchet looked at me like I gave him a look that said 'I'm gonna kill you if you don't have a proper answer for this.'

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Carly continued to shout at her friend, standing right in front of her, "Windswept! Hey! I'm down here!" Suddenly, her guardian took a step towards her, her lower leg mere inches away from her own charge that for some reason she couldn't see. She screamed when her own guardian walked right through her, a wave of dizziness crashing over her as she stumbled into Jack's arms behind her.

"He went right through you," Jack told her, looping his arms around his girlfriend's waist to help her stand back onto her feet.

"Somet'in's not right 'ere," Aquastrike narrowed her optics at her friends.

Starlight elbowed her friend in her lower arm, locking eyes with her partner, "No duh, genius."

Now Aquastrike narrowed her optics at her friend, "Ya need to stop 'angin' 'round ol' Sourshine all t'e time."

"I don't wanna be a ghost!" Raf screeched, clutching onto Jack's leg while Miko clutched onto Carly's shoulder.

Carly lit up suddenly at the words of her brother, standing back to full height and stepping away from her friends to look at them. She held a confused expression on her face, "If we are ghosts, then how can well still touch each other?"

"Ughhh, spare me the dramatics, please and thank you!" The four humans and two Autobots looked around at the pile of rocks Miko had lead her friends to mere minutes ago.

Leaning up against a rock and throwing a boomerang up and down, catching it with ease, was none other than Rebecca Rose.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT'S P.O.V**

We decided that standing around here in the canyon wasn't going to yield us anything that we didn't already know. And while we wandered around to check if our friends, Cybertronian or human, were possibly nearby. Well, toes crossed right? Or was it fingers?

The human language was strange.

"Ratchet, could the children have been transported onto the Nemesis instead?" Optimus asked.

The idea of that occurring made me quiver on my feet. What if Megatron had found the kids? What if he decided that he was going to use them against us? What if he tortures them for information to use against us? Those poor kids wouldn't stand a chance if Rebecca happened to use her electric prod on them! She'd have a field day times four with her sick humour!

"Not likely. If Starscream and Moonlight didn't arrive at our base, the most likely explanation is a dislocation," Ratchet summarised, "The children may have simply been bridged to an unintended destination."

Anything Ratchet was saying regarding where Carly and the rest of the group could possibly be did not make me feel better at all.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Of all t'e stinkin' 'nd nasty-lookin' 'Cons 'round, why did we 'ave to get stuck wi'h you?" Aquastrike grumbled loudly, pointing her triple blasters at the small superhuman. Beside her, Starlight pulled out a Kunai knife, spinning the lopped handle around with a single finger.

"Starscream and Moonlight were up to something. I got curious," Rebecca shrugged, her head going up and down with the boomerang she was throwing.

Aquastrike narrowed her optics at the superhuman, "What a shame curiosity didn' get t'e chance to kill ya."

Carly huffed and took a few steps forward to give the girl in front of her a piece of her mind when her little brother grabbed her wrist, holding her back. Her eyes softened at the puzzling face Raf held.

"Another place but in the same place."

"Wha-What? What do you mean?" Jack asked as the group except for Rebecca looked down at Raf for his answer.

"Oh please, this isn't rocket science!" The group looked over at the superhuman once more, watching her catch her boomerang before she slipped it on a hook on her skirt. Adjusting her large bow headband, Rebecca looked at them, "We're obviously in some kind of shadow dimension! A shadow zone, if you will." She scoffed and shook her head like it was the easiest thing to work out.

"And here's us thinking that you were all show and no brains," Miko muttered.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"Look." Optimus' voice interrupted me from my thoughts as we gathered around what was Skyquake's burial site. Now nothing, but a large hole of emptiness, "Skyquake's tomb is empty."

"How did we miss Skyquake rising and shining?" Bulkhead asked in disbelief.

"It would seem Starscream got what he came for," Ratchet observed.

Dark Energon, a dead Skyquake... it all made sense. Starscream and Moonlight were attempting to raise their own army of undead just like Megatron had attempted to.

I shook my helm. We couldn't be worrying about this right now. My mind returned to my friends lost to wherever they were, "Skyquake can wait." I looked up at Optimus with determined optics, "We have to find the Starlight, Aquastrike and the kids."

Optimus nodded in agreement, speaking into, his commlink "Arcee, bridge us back to base."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Carly shook her head at Rebecca's behaviour towards them. It was childish and pathetic, really, the way she was acting. But the brunette knew that she had to let it go. During the shaking of her head, the girl's eyes caught onto something. Something that was heading towards her Cybertronian friends. And she wasn't the only one to see it.

"ZOMBIE!" Miko yelled at the sight of the undead Cybertronian heading towards her friends.

Rebecca took a step forward, her eyes widening. Starscream and Moonlight had done it. They had managed to reawaken Skyquake.

"Guys, look out!" Jack yelled as the four humans sprinted after their friends.

"Bulkhead!" Miko screamed.

"'Swept! Turn around!" Carly shouted.

"It's right behind you!" Raf cried.

Aquastrike watched in horror as the undead Cybertronian raised his sharp-clawed hand toward her bulky friend. But her shorter, slimmer friend beside her wasn't going to allow herself to be frozen in fear of the sight. Starlight raced ahead and threw one of her knives at the battered and bruised Terracon. But it was too late. The Terracon swiped at Bulkhead.

And missed.

The humans, Aquastrike and Starlight stood in disbelief for a moment, happy at the thought that their friends were safe from the deranged Decepticon. And they watched as their Autobot friends walked safely through the open Groundbridge waiting for them.

"Awesome! It can't touch them either!" Miko cheered.

"That doesn't mean anything good, sweetheart," Rebecca pointed out, standing beside the humans as the purple-eyed Decepticon looked around and began charging towards the group.

Jack began to put the pieces of Rebecca's words and the situation together, "If that thing can't touch the bots..."

"Just like we can't," Miko continued with fear.

The sound of a ding interrupted them. The group of humans and Cybertronians watched the undead Skyquake stopped and looked down at what made the ding noise.

Starlight's knife had hit him.

"Then we're trapped in a shadow zone with a Decepticon zombie?" Raf finished.

"If we weren't ghosts before, we certainly will be soon!" Carly squeaked.

The Terracon took a swipe at the humans before roaring at the Dark Energon that was coursing through his veins. The power! He had never felt so alive!

Aquastrike took a look at Starlight, who couldn't care about her loose knife. and nodded, transforming into her vehicle form and swinging all her doors open, "Get 'n!"

The humans raced into the aqua blue Italia, jumping in from all sides ( **AN:** I'm well aware that the Italia's only look to have only two seats. But for this particular case, let's just say that this is a custom-built Ferrari Italia for Aquastrike). Carly had to help Raf into the car when he tripped up. Starlight transformed into her motorcycle form beside her friend and pulled a wheelie, immediately leading the way for her partner behind her as they raced away from the Terracon chasing at rapid speeds behind them.

"Carly..." Said girl looked pulled her eyes away from the rear mirror of the vehicle to look down at her brother to see what his concerned tone was about. But she didn't need him to tell her anything. She could only look in horror that her brother's red square-rimmed glasses were missing – he must have lost them when he tripped on the way into the car.

Miko and Jack, sitting in the front two seats, looked around and also held the same expression that Carly was holding at the realisation that Raf no longer had his glasses on him. The black-haired boy in the passenger seat turned around and looked through the right-hand mirror beside him. Skyquake was gaining quickly, but far behind the Cybertronian, he could see the red glasses sitting on the ground.

But Jack shook his head, "Way too dangerous." There was no way Aquastrike or Starlight could pull around, be able to stop to get Raf's glasses AND dodge the Terracon's swipes successfully.

"I can't see without them!" Raf argued, looking at Jack despite the fuzziness in his eyes.

"What are you? 90?!" Miko snapped, looking around her seat at the boy.

"You are not helping!" Carly hissed at her friend, her eyes narrowed angrily.

Miko scowled at her friend before she turned back to face the front in the driver's seat. She took another look in the left-hand mirror to see where exactly the glasses were. But then she gasped, "The glasses! They're gone!"

Aquastrike skidded to a halt behind a large rock that could protect her form from the Terracon. Starlight skidded a halt after her.

"Gone?! Whaddaya darn well mean 't'ey're gone'?!" Aquastrike questioned in disbelief.

"I looked through the mirror and they weren't there any more!" Miko answered her case, going to look through the mirror again. But then something caught her eye just outside the car, jumping in fright with a scream.

The humans turned to her as she lowered her window to reveal an unamused Rebecca, looking at Miko like the Terracon chasing them wasn't the worst thing in the world. She held out something red in her hand, "This belong to anyone?"

Miko grabbed the something red, looked over it for a moment, and then passed it to Carly, "Here you go, gramps!"

It was Rafael's glasses.

Carly, relieved that she didn't have to worry about her and Raf going to their mother and finding a way to tell her how her son lost his glasses, passed them to her brother for him to put them on. She took a look at the black and red-clothed female standing outside Aquastrike, "Thank you."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, crossing her arms, "Yeah, yeah, I'd give you the whole 'I'm not that heartless' speech, but we've got a Terracon to stop."

The humans nodded in agreement of Rebecca's words, but before they began formulating a plan, the sounds of roars from the undead Cybertronian coming after them started to get louder. Aquastrike and Starlight revved their engines and took off with Rebecca zooming after them on her hoverboard.

"Maybe we could set a trap. Try to crush it," Miko suggested, looking around at her friends.

"With what?" Raf questioned, "Nothing around here's solid except for us and the ground!"

"Star and I can' drive 'round forever!" Aquastrike pointed out.

She was in disbelief of herself – she knew she should've taken her ration of Energon this morning instead of waiting around... Then again, she didn't know that she would be stuck racing around with her partner, her human friends and... her not-so-human enemy beside her while an undead Cybertronian chased after them.

"We need to find a hiding spot to discuss battle tactics... and fast!" Carly told them.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"Ratchet, if the children were misdirected to an unintended location, is there any way to get a fix on their coordinates?"

I paced back forth behind the rest of the team. We hadn't made much progress since we returned back to base. Sunburst and Arcee hadn't looked too pleased with themselves for letting the kids get through the Groundbridge without them noticing. And they didn't look too pleased with each other, I might add. I had a feeling that I knew what it was about. but I didn't want to get involved regardless. We had to find and save our friends.

"If they were lost, Miko would have called me," Bulkhead pointed out to Optimus.

" **Maybe we could try calling** _ **them**_ ," Bumblebee suggested, causing me to pause mid-step as Bumblebee looked over at Bulkhead.

It wasn't a bad idea.

"Call them! Yes!" I walked over to my bulky teammate as he wasted no time pressing his digits to his audio receptor to call Miko.

But as soon as he did, the familiar ringtone that belonged to his charge's phone rung out. My insides deflated as we looked around at where the ringtone could be coming from. My optics stopped at the Groundbridge tunnel where Sunburst had bent down to grab something. He stood up and looked around at us, walking up with the pink cellphone in hand to Bulkhead.

Oh...

"That's why she hasn't phoned," Bulkhead groaned, taking the phone off Sunburst.

"Let me try Jack," Arcee insisted near us.

If that didn't work, I guess I could try reaching out to Carly, Hopefully, she had charged her phone before I brought her to base...

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"The best thing about zombies," Miko began as the one by one she and her friends hopped out of Aquastrike's vehicle form. She watched as her Cybertronian friends transformed back into their normal forms, imitating the movements of a zombie, "They're slow-moving.

Rebecca floated down onto her feet near the group, adjusting her oversized bow headband on her head, "Not this one. That Terracon's not going to be far away. So if we've got a plan, someone spit it out so we can roll it out." The girl clapped her hands together, joining the group of humans.

Carly stared at the girl, putting her hands on her hips, "Ar-Are you serious right now? You just come along and start bossing us around? I'm surprised you're not helping this Terracon destroy us!"

"Hey, I want to live when we're on the outside of this okay? I value my life," Rebecca snarked back.

"Enough, the both of you," Starlight told them, putting a foot between Rebecca and Carly, "Arguing is not helping this situation at all."

The brunette went to argue once more at the superhuman when a familiar sound interrupted them. Carly's ears perked up straight away, knowing exactly what the noise was, and turned to look at Jack behind her, "That's your-"

"PHONE!" The four humans exclaimed.

"What's a phone?" Rebecca asked with genuine confusion as Jack dug into his pockets for his phone. Receiving surprised looks from the humans and two Cybertronians around her, The seventeen-year-old girl just shrugged, "What? I'm serious!"

Jack answered his phone, "Hello? Arcee?"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"Jack! Can you hear me?"

Things lit up for me at the second Arcee began talking into her comms. She could reach Jack! She could actually contact him! It was a start!

Then the blue femme disconnected her call, looking up at Bulkhead, "Nothing."

"'Nothing'?!" I gasped in disbelief, "I'm sorry, 'nothing'?"

Arcee turned to me, her optics full of frustration, "Nothing but static." She brushed past me and over to Bumblebee on the other side of the room.

I shook my head. I wasn't giving up. I instantly rang Carly's phone, hoping and praying that she would pick up her phone...

And then it went to voicemail...

Primus, dammit Carly!

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Hello? Arcee!" Jack shouted into his phone, trying desperately to reach out to his guardian to no avail. He sighed and hung up his phone, "Nothing."

"Gee, imagine that?" Miko sarcastically began, "The fourth dimension has lousy phone reception!"

"The phone still rang, Miko," Starlight reminded her as the group turned to her, "We're still getting a signal."

"Maybe the Autobots can't see or hear us cause we're moving at hyperspeed or something," Raf wondered, looking to his sister.

"Do you think they can read us?" Jack asked him.

Carly thought hard. Regardless of where they were, they had gotten a signal. But if the phone reception was bad, they still had another way of contacting a cellphone. She snapped her fingers suddenly like a light bulb going off, "Texting!"

"Text me!" Miko told Jack beside her, "If my phone's back at the base, maybe they'll see it!"

"Okay, seriously guys, what's texting?" Rebecca questioned once more as the group.

Carly looked at the girl in disbelief. She didn't know what a phone was, let alone, texting! The girl expected the Decepticon to know everything just like she and her friends did. That was when she realised that maybe Rebecca did more than just be a Decepticon. Maybe she was stuck on the Warship rather than living on. Suddenly, Carly felt bad for the superhuman. Her life may not include certain choices and the brunette didn't know what that's like.

"Ohhhh, Rebecca Rose." Carly put an arm around her shoulders, "You have no idea what life outside of a Warship is like, do you?" The brunette had no idea what life was like _inside_ a Warship, but she was certain that not being in one was better.

"I hope you can text while the vehicle you're in is speeding at nearly over 200mph." The humans looked up at their aqua blue friend, whose faceplates had just gone as white as ghosts' all of a sudden. It didn't take them long to realise why when they began to hear thudding noises approaching them.

Aquastrike immediately transformed and allowed the four humans to pile into her vehicle. The first thing she noticed when she was ready to go was that the group had reached a dead end. It wasn't a concern for her – she knew exactly what she had planned."'Ang on to somet'in' gang!" She was serious in her warning she kicked herself into gear, spinning around and driving straight between the Terracon's legs, speeding away quickly.

Starlight, in her motorcycle form, and Rebecca, still on her powered hoverboard, raced after the Ferrari Italia 458, barely dodging the roaring Skyquake taking a swipe at them.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"We're dealing with fluctuating energy profiles inside a wide distortion field," Ratchet told us, "But it may be possible to back-trace their coordinates."

No progress was being made into finding our friends. Time was ticking away. What if we never found them? What if they stay stuck in wherever they are in? They can't last forever!

I was going nuts, absolutely insane. I had never been so worried about my friends in my life, especially for Carly. I just wanted them to be safe and to be home with us. I was going so insane that I swear I was hearing things now.

I was scared.

"Hey." I looked up from my position on the ground, finding Arcee looking over me with an emotionless expression. "You all right down there?"

I sighed and stretched my legs out from their former position of being huddled up to my chest. I wasn't sure if I could talk to her. I was kind of nervous too.

" _You lied to me! You're supposed to be my friend! How could you not tell me about this?_ "

" _I didn't know Arcee! If I had known that I'm related to both a Prime AND a Warlord, don't you think I would've said something before then?!_ "

" _It's not just this, Windswept. It's the whole story! I told you everything about me! About Airachnid and Cliffjumper! All of it! ... And you didn't tell me that you had a sister._ "

" _I thought she was dead!_ "

" _I trusted you to tell me everything just like I had told you everything. Where does that leave us, Windswept?_ "

Good question.

Flashes of our argument from the previous week came into my mind. Arcee was so mad that there were things that I missed telling her about. But how could I when there were things that nearly made me cry at the thought of them? Some things were just a little too much for me.

Arcee continued to stare at me, waiting for my response. In the end, I heard the sounds of her sitting down beside me, leaning her back against the rough surface of the Autobot base walls.

I looked at her and took a deep breathe, "I'm scared Arcee."

The blue femme sighed and looked at me, her voice quiet enough for only me to hear, "So am I, 'Swept."

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"Déjà vu!" Miko yelled suddenly, looking around from her seat in Aquastrike's vehicle form.

"What?" Jack asked, looking at her in wonder of what she meant.

"This doesn't look familiar to you?" Miko questioned, looking at Jack before turning to the siblings in the back.

"Not really, Miko," Carly answered in confusion. She looked through every window and mirror around her. What did her friend mean?

"Wait! We've jus' gon 'n one big circle!" Aquastrike realised.

"Bingo! We have a winner!" The Japanese exchange student cheered sarcastically.

"HEY! LOOK OUT!" Aquastrike's attentions focused themselves back onto what was coming up in front of her, making her halt to a skid in a sudden. The humans jerked around inside the vehicle, wondering what Jack had yelled about to make their ride brake so quickly.

Starlight's attentions were elsewhere, spotting something black and pink not too far away from where Aquastrike had skidded to a halt. She grinned inside her motorcycle form as she drove over to her weapon of choice lying on the ground helplessly. Transforming in front of it, the pink and white femme bent down and picked up her Kunai knife, sitting it beside the other two looped at her hip before walking over to her friends.

Rebecca landed in front of what Aquastrike had halted in front of and gasped, both in realisation and with thought. She reached out to touch the object sitting in front of her and grinned when her hand made contact with it. Starscream's missing arm was sitting in front of her... and it was in the alternate dimension with her.

"Sweet!" Miko whispered in delight as she, Jack, Carly and Raf stepped out of the Italia 458.

"Whoa..." Jack gasped, walking around the limb.

"It must have gotten trapped in here during the explosion too!" Raf realised, looking up at Carly with a smile.

The sounds of roars and thunder footsteps coming closer towards the group immediately sent the group spinning around to find the undead Skyquake inching closer and closer.

"The arm is solid, so we can use it," Rebecca told the group, her hand barely grazing the red missile sitting on the limb, "The only problem with it is that I don't know what Starscream does to activate it."

While the humans gathered around the arm once more, Aquastrike's optics stayed glued to the Terracon coming closer to the group. She snarled, activating her blasters – it was time to stop running. Beside her, Starlight activated her weapons and nodded at her friend.

"I've 'ad enough of runnin' 'round." The aqua blue Autobot looked down at the humans, "Twinkle 'nd I will dis'ract the stupid 'Con. You lot try 'nd get dat t'in' workin'!" She looked at her friend beside her with a knowing nod and soon, the two charged at the undead Cybertronian, jumping to different sides as a way to get the Terracon's attention.

* * *

"Uh…Starscream, I don't quite understand how this could have happened?"

Starscream had eventually found his way to the medical bay and was quick to be tended to. Moonlight watched in amusement as the red Decepticon looked around in puzzlement, trying to figure out exactly how the arm came off in the first place. She was just waiting for Starscream to tell Knock Out everything that he had done. And then Megatron would get involved. That was the part where Moonlight planned to jump in and tell him of how she had desperately tried to stop him to no avail.

Megatron was bound to believe her little sob story, right?

"And yet it did! Can you imagine my horror? There I am! Minding my own business when my arm just falls off! Clearly, Megatron inflicted more damage on me then you realized!"

So when Starscream had decided to make up a whole lot of lies, Moonlight's plans quickly went out the door.

Her jaw nearly fell to the ground, "Surely, Knock Out, you don-"

"Well…on the bright side. This provides an excellent opportunity for an upgrade," Knock Out decided, interrupting Moonlight as he walked over to a medical monitor to show off all the different armed limbs he had. "Uh…let's see. You can go with a sonic cannon. It's reliable, low-maintenance. Although, it lacks a certain flair. Personally, I prefer the know ray. Has just the right mix of flash and firepower."

"I DON'T WANT A NEW MODEL!" Starscream snapped, shutting Knock Out up quickly, "I JUST WANT THE SAME ARM I HAD BEFORE!"

"But Starscream, your equipment is a bit…obsolete. I'm not sure I have another one lying around," Knock Out admitted, "Of course. We could try to salvage yours. You'd get it, did you?"

"It was…beyond recovery," Starscream answered, looking away and towards Moonlight.

"Boys, I have a question I need to ask of you." The trio's attentions turned to the doorway where the newly reappointed second-in-command was wandering in from. She paused and looked Moonlight up and down, "And Moonlight." She then looked at Starscream and Knock Out, "Have any of you seen Rebecca Rose? That girl hasn't shown up for training and it's not like her to be late."

Moonlight and Starscream's optics locked for a brief moment – they weren't deaf enough to know that Rebecca had followed them out into the canyon. They heard the Autobots telling her to stay away from the human pets who had followed them out. Wherever Starscream's arm was, there was no doubt that Rebecca was with it.

"Moonlight!" Said Decepticon exited her thoughts and looked at the blue and purple Seeker confronting her. " **Where** is Rebecca Rose?"

Moonlight shook her head innocently, "I couldn't tell you, Commander. I haven't seen the girl in hours. Though I don't really care what she does nowadays."

Slipstream's eyes narrowed for a brief moment before she sighed and turned away, walking to the doors leading out of the room, "If anyone **does** see her, do warn her that she isn't getting away with this freely." The doors slammed shut behind her.

The black and pink Cybertronian whined to herself. There was no way she could discuss her side to the 'story' if there was more than one witness... Yup, if that plan didn't go out the metaphorical window before, then it certainly had now.

* * *

The humans grunted and groaned as they pushed the limb over until it was facing the direction of the undead Decepticon. They would've gotten Aquastrike and Starlight to help them, but they were too busy distracting the Cybertronian the best they could.

Rebecca, as she stepped away from the arm, took a look around Jack, Carly, Miko and Raf as well as the two Autobots leaping around and teasing the Terracon. The group made quite the team – they worked together well, they communicated with each other well...

The Decepticons weren't like this at all...

"You know how to fire this thing?" Miko asked her, bringing Rebecca out of her thoughts, searching around the arm. "I don't see a trigger."

"Starscream does something with his fingers," Rebecca recalled, "But that's about it."

The sounds of screams interrupted them. Looking up, the small group saw Starlight being flung to the ground, landing roughly onto her side. She groaned, rolling onto her back and grimacing in pain. Aquastrike was quick to jump to her friend's side nearby, dragging her friend out of the Terracon's sight to check up on her.

"We have one shot. We need to make it count," Jack told them as the Terracon began coming closer to them.

Rebecca wandered in front of the limb and bit her lip, wondering which finger it was that activated the missile. She closed her eyes and imagined seeing Starscream firing the missile... and got her answer. She jumped behind the fingers with the group and pulled the index digit towards her, immediately setting off the missile towards the Terracon.

It smashed into the Cybertronian, showering the area with grey smoke and dust. Jack, Carly, Rebecca, Miko and Raf stood up one by one to see how much damage it created.

Miko was highly confident, grinning from ear to ear, "How do you like us now?!"

The dust and smoke eventually still hid how much damage it caused, but when Skyquake's helm appeared through the mess, it was obvious that the Terracon was still whole. The group of five's once cheerful faces turned sour quickly and they watched sparks started flying around the Terracon's arm.

Right before it fell off.

"That's it?" Rebecca scoffed in disbelief, "After all that?! Your ARM just FALLS off?!"

The digits on the hand that had just fallen off Skyquake began to twitch. Then it jumped onto its digits, using them as legs to scuttle its' way over to the group at a quicker pace than the Terracon itself.

Rebecca began to instantly regret her words, "RUN!" At her yell, it prompted the group to begin running away from the limb.

"Come on! COME ON!" Jack yelled, dragging Carly along when she had frozen in fear.

The sounds of engines had the humans relieved for the briefest of moments as the vehicle forms of Aquastrike and Starlight appeared beside them. The humans jumped into Aquastrike while Rebecca hoped onto the pink and white motorcycle, looking over her shoulder in disbelief as the arm bounced and scaled along the cliff face.

"How in the world can that Terracon arm move **faster** than the Terracon itself?"

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Hours had passed since the explosion. While the first few hours had been tense, the next couple weren't as such. Ratchet continued searching desperately for the kids on the computer monitors with Optimus, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Sunburst crowded around him. Arcee and I sat near the Groundbridge behind them. Talking and talking and talking.

I guess you could say that things were going to be okay between us.

Just as I was going to mention that it had been a long time since we had last seen our friends, Bulkhead's frustrations must have gotten the better of him. He began to pace a little, trying to think of ways to help Ratchet speed up the progress of finding the others. Then he stopped suddenly.

"Miko's phone! It wasn't blinking before!" Arcee and I shared a look of hope, climbing up onto our feet. We gathered around Bulkhead as he looked at the phone, "It's a message. 'In alternate dimension with zombie. Help!'"

"That doesn't sound possible," Arcee stated, looking at us, hope deflating from her.

But that wasn't going to be enough to deflate my hope. We had a lead now – an alternate dimension.

"Ratchet, can we triangulate the geographical position of the cellphone's signal?" Optimus asked, looking at Ratchet

"In a parallel dimensional plane?" The medic asked in disbelief. He paused for a moment... and then suddenly got to work, "Let's find out."

Time we found our friends and brought them back home.

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

Starscream rested soundlessly in the med-bay. He was waiting on two people to return – one was Knock Out, who had gone to see if he could find a replacement for the seeker's missing arm. And the other was Moonlight, who had gone to see if she could find Rebecca.

The last thing he and Moonlight wanted was for Rebecca to start blabbing to Megatron and Slipstream – Starscream may as well be dead if she did.

Something started pulsing in his hand. Sitting up quickly, the silver Decepticon looked in surprise at the glowing shard in his hand, "My Dark Energon shard? Pulsing?" For Starscream, that could only mean one thing. "My warrior lives!"

"Ah, look what I found in storage," Knock Out hummed as he returned to the medical bay, with a new and upgraded limb for Starscream, pausing to see said Seeker about to walk past him, "What are you doing?"

"You were right, Knock Out. I'm much too attached to my original appendage. I will retrieve it," Starscream told his doctor with determination.

Moonlight had just turned the corner towards the medical bay when she found Starscream coming straight towards her. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her with him, "What are you doing, you idiot?"

Starscream only had to show her the pulsing Dark Energon shard to get her to shut up and come with him willingly.

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

"By calculating the relative time delays and ionospheric distortions, the signal emanated from the exact location as the original Groundbridge coordinates," Ratchet announced to us, working hard and quickly at his controls.

"But we already looked for them there!" Bulkhead argued.

Ratchet paused at Bulkhead's words, "Perhaps. But NOT in the correct dimensional phase as their message stated. But if I can recreate the feedback loop which triggered the event, I might be able to generate a rescue portal, allowing passage from their dimension-."

"Back to base?"

"No!" Ratchet shot down Bulkhead quickly, turning around to face him, Arcee and I, "We're talking about interdimensional travel here, Bulkhead! Attempting to redirect the vortex trajectory would be far too risky!"

"Everybody knows that," Arcee nodded sarcastically, looking at us.

I nudged Bulkhead's arm with a similar tone, "Yeah Bulkhead, keep up with the times."

"If the coordinates aren't precisely the same, who knows where the humans, Aquastrike and Starlight could wind up!" Ratchet growled, turning back to the controls.

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

* * *

"Aw come on!"

"If I wasn't mad at you earlier for getting us into this mess, Miko, then I certainly am now because of your moaning," Carly muttered before looking at her friend sitting in front of her, "What now?"

"This place is like one big merry-go-round!" Miko pointed to Starscream's arm still lying in the position that they had left it moments ago.

"SKYQUAKE!" The humans cowered in fear for a moment at the loud echoing voice. They looked out the front windscreen, finding the arm's owner and his partner-in-crime walking straight towards them, "YOUR MASTER SUMMONS YOU!"

Aquastrike braked to a halt, "How did dat stiletto-'eeled freak 'nd dat black-pink glitch get 'n dis dimension?"

"He didn't," Rebecca reminded them, pulling up beside the aqua blue Italia with Starlight, "He can't see us, remember."

Carly slapped her forehead in frustration, "Of course, of course." She looked away from the sight before them, looking out the rear windscreen to find the undead Cybertronian's arm still scuttling towards them. She looked back at the group, "Uhhhh, rain check on Starscream?"

Aquastrike and Starlight immediately kicked themselves into gear, driving away from the racey arm and heading towards Starscream when the familiar green and blue swirls appeared in front of them.

"A Groundbridge?" Raf questioned.

"That has to be our way out of here!" Jack insisted.

"We'll look at that, the Autobot's aren't that useless after all," Rebecca smirked, looking at the humans in the Italia 458. Upon seeing the glares they were producing, the brown and red-haired girl grinned innocently, "Kidding!"

Starscream, having the seen the Groundbridge portal suddenly open up before him, was confused, "What?"

"Ours or theirs?" Moonlight pondered, glancing at Starscream with a confused expression.

"We go through, we run smack into Starscream!" Raf told them, "If we don't…"

"We're zombie chow," Jack finished, the four as well as Rebecca, turned to look at the arm inching closer towards them.

"Option three: we keep running in circles," Miko added.

"On the count, Aqua!" Starlight yelled, deciding on what option she and the others would all choose.

Aquastrike already knew what her partner meant, "Three..."

"Two..."

Miko jumped around in her seat, looking at the left-hand mirror beside her nervously. Carly grabbed Jack's hand when he reached it over to her. Raf grabbed the back of Miko's seat. Rebecca meanwhile, tightened her hands on Starlight's motorcycle handles.

"NOW!" The two Autobots revved their engines and quickly raced towards the opened portal, immediately arriving in front of Starscream and Moonlight. But they didn't waste any time, speeding away from them as fast as they had arrived.

The two Decepticons were in disbelief, dodging the two speeding vehicles underneath them.

"Starlight?" Moonlight gasped in surprise, "Where did sh-?"

"OWWWWW!" Moonlight was interrupted when Starscream was knocked to the ground. She turned around to find the Skyquake's hand grabbing Starscream's face with its' sharps talons. "THIS ISN'T MINE!" The seeker squealed, grabbing the limb off his face with his sole one, "UNHAND ME!"

Moonlight slapped her forehead at the sight, "Just when I thought I had seen it all..."

While Starscream continued to scream at the loose limb that was clawing at his face, the two vehicles slowed to a halt as another Groundbridge appeared before them. Jack, Carly, Miko and Raf jumped out of Aquastrike's vehicle form, allowing the femme and Starlight to transform and prepare themselves for the possible enemy that was coming...

* * *

 **WINDSWEPT P.O.V**

Time to bring our friends home.

Ratchet had managed to open a Groundbridge to the alternate dimension Jack, Carly, Miko, Raf, Aquastrike and Starlight had apparently got themselves in. Then he wasted no time opening a Groundbridge for Optimus, Bulkhead, Arcee and I so we could greet them.

When we arrived, the sky had those familiar reds and yellows and pinks, hinting that night time was not too far away. But that wasn't our concern. When we saw the group of humans and Autobots before us, I melted in relief almost instantly.

"Jack, Carly, Miko, Rafael," Optimus greeted the humans in hidden relief.

I smiled at the femmes before me with a smirk, "What kind of trouble did you two get up to this time?"

Aquastrike dropped her jaw dramatically, bringing a hand to her chest, "I am offended dat you'd t'ink me 'nd Star caused all dis!"

Behind Starlight and Aquastrike, we noticed Starscream and Moonlight panicking and squealing about something. Starscream threw an object away from him. Primus knows what they're on about, but I didn't give a damn. I was just happy to have my friends back.

* * *

When we returned to the base, we wasted no time getting the group to explain to us what kind of trouble they really did get up to. Turns out, Starscream and Moonlight had succeeded in reanimating Skyquake, but he had ended up with them in the 'shadow zone' - apparently, Rebecca was with them and had explained what dimension they were in. Funny enough, we didn't see Rebecca with them. Maybe she had left as soon as we got there.

"Look. If you're gonna blame anybody, blame me," Miko told us after the group had finished telling their story, looking very sorry for herself.

"I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?" Jack teasingly asked, crossing his arms,

"A couple dozen times please?" Carly also teased her friend, appearing on the other side of her, giggling when Miko nudged her lightly.

"Miko, what you endured has been lesson enough. We are just glad you are all safe."

Wait... was that a smile coming from the Optimus Prime himself?!

Bulkhead bent down to Miko's level, "And I guess it was a good thing you dropped this. He held up Miko's phone to her, "Too bad you didn't get any pictures though."

"Nah, that's OK," Miko shrugged, looking over at her friends that had joined her on her adventure, "I think that after today, I pretty much have Zombie Con close-up seared into my brain."

"Well, it's good to have you guys back," Sunburst grinned, throwing arms around Starlight and Aquastrike, "We kind of missed you guys, you know?"

Aquastrike grinned from audio receptor to audio receptor, "T'e mighty Sunburst, admittin' dat he missed me!" The femme's facial expressions softened teasingly. "Awwwh, Sourshine, I didn' know dat ya cared!"

Sunburst rolled his optics, "I didn't say that **I** did." But it did nothing as Aquastrike squeezed him into a hug suddenly.

I laughed at my friend's antics, "Aquastrike's never gonna let that one go, Sunshine."

"She's probably recorded that for later use," Arcee smirked beside me.

"Dear Primus, what have I done?"

* * *

 **NO ONE'S P.O.V**

"What happened? Megatron pound you like scrap metal again?"

Starscream and Moonlight eventually returned to the Decepticon warship, quickly making their way to the red Decepticon doctor in the medical bay once more. Knock Out had sighed in disbelief at seeing the two Decepticons he couldn't seem to get rid of, unenthusiastically working to repair Starscream's newest injuries.

"I would rather not discuss it!" Starscream snapped immediately.

"Honestly, Starscream," Knock Out began, pausing in his work, "You need to take better care of yourself." As the red Decepticon turned his back on the silver Decepticon, he looked over his shoulder at him, remembering a crucial detail, "Didn't you retrieve your limb?"

"Hmmm, I wonder where it is?" Rebecca wondered innocently, looking up at Moonlight, "Maybe wherever it is could explain whatev-"

Moonlight grabbed the superhuman out from mid-air, spinning around so her back was to Knock Out and Starscream. The two glared at each other for a moment – they were well aware that they had been up to things they shouldn't have been doing. And both knew very well that the trouble that would be brought upon them for everything they've done wouldn't be pleasant for them.

So, they did the one thing they knew that they could agree one.

"Not a word to anyone!"

* * *

The limb Knock Out had referred to would never be recovered by its' owner, having been left behind in the alternate dimension... with the undead Skyquake.

Skyquake ended up finding the limb, having been searching for a replacement for his very own after it had come off during the hit he received earlier. He growled in confusion, picking it up and attempting to make it fit. Sparks flew as he tried his very hardest to make it connect with his arm.

But alas, it would not. So Skyquake growled in frustration and threw the arm over his shoulder, continuing his endless wandering for what would be many days to come...

* * *

Another chapter in the books. This chapter is quite a big one for me - I spent literal years trying to write my own version of this series, and every time I never got past this chapter. So I'm flying blind after this one; all my ideas for the future are ones that have come from the last year.

I can't wait to celebrate this achievement proper when I post the next chapter. Maybe it'll come sooner than I think if I get any new reviews, followers or favourites...

Thank for you reading.


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